theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with gig economy operators on (a) trends in the level of people (i) driving and (ii) delivering through their platforms without appropriate driving licences and (b) steps they are taking to prevent such practices. \p Lilian Greenwood: The department has not had any discussions with gig economy operators about trends in the level of people working as delivery drivers through their platforms without appropriate driving licences, or steps being taken to prevent such practices. Drivers must hold a full licence to work as a delivery driver. Motorcyclists must hold a valid provisional licence to work as a delivery rider.

Employers have a duty to manage the risks of their work activities, including where driving for work is required. Employees and self-employed workers have a responsibility to drive appropriately and comply with relevant laws.

The department with the Health and Safety Executive updated joint guidance called ‘Driving and riding safely for work’ in September 2021 that sets out those obligations. In December 2024, Minister Simon Lightwood MP wrote to the Chief Executives of the largest food delivery companies to remind them of the importance the Government places on the safety of food delivery riders and other road users, and of their responsibilities and obligations towards them. It is essential that delivery drivers and riders follow The Highway Code.

The department has not made an assessment about people engaged in delivery work without valid documentation on road safety, or about the merits of increasing regulation of people driving delivery and courier vehicles for any reason. We are considering plans to review the training, testing, and licensing requirements for motorcycles. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide, on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to require MOT tests to check that (a) front windows and (b) windscreens comply with legal light transmission limits. \p Lilian Greenwood: Driver visibility is an important safety consideration at the MOT, with the tester required to check the driver’s field of vision for obstructions. This includes inspecting the windscreen and front side windows for excessive tinting and discolouration. The MOT tester will fail the vehicle if the windscreen or window are excessively tinted and visibility through the swept area of the windscreen, or of an obligatory external mirror, is seriously affected.

This approach aligns with legal light transmission levels that are intended to ensure the driver has good visibility of the road for safety purposes.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement a national ban on pavement parking; and whether she has held recent discussions with (a) Guide Dogs and (b) other relevant charities on this matter. \p Lilian Greenwood: Ministers and Department officials have met with Guide Dogs and other relevant charities earlier this year to discuss pavement parking. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response soon.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82998 on HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme, what plans she has for (a) unspent and (b) returned grant funding; and whether those monies will be (i) retained for driver welfare improvements and (ii) reallocated elsewhere within her Department’s budget. \p Keir Mather: As set out in my response to Question 85923, underspent specific budgets are reallocated to other priorities within DfT where possible. Any departmental underspend at the end of the financial year is returned to HMT.

Under the terms of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Grant Scheme there is no provision for returned funding from operators. The Department issues payment for the monies operators claim only once the Department has reviewed appropriate evidence of the completed stages of works.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will review the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations which limiting local authorities ability to offer paid seats on non-compliant vehicles with more than 22 seats for school transport. \p Simon Lightwood: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) set minimum accessibility standards for physical features on buses and coaches designed to carry over twenty-two passengers and used on local or scheduled services. Introduced to help disabled people, including children and young people to travel safely and in reasonable comfort, the Regulations have applied to certain home-to-school (HTS) services for 25 years. In recognition of the shortfall of compliant vehicles and to enable essential services to keep operating, including HTS where spare capacity is sold, the Department has offered medium-term exemptions. These exemptions are due to expire on 31 July 2026.

In 2023 the previous Government began a review of PSVAR, including inviting feedback from local authority commissioners, providers and users of transport services, through a Call for Evidence, with a view to understanding the extent to which the Regulations remained appropriate and continued to serve disabled passengers. We continue to consider the Review findings and potential future action, and we will announce any next steps on PSVAR in due course.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to help tackle (a) violence and (b) verbal abuse towards public transport workers in (i) Lincolnshire and (ii) other rural areas. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport works with the transport industry to ensure that public transport is a safe environment for staff and passengers. Ensuring that staff feel safe at work is a priority.

Following the horrific attack on the 18:25 LNER Doncaster to London service at Huntingdon on the 1st November, my Department are working with British Transport Police (BTP) and the rail industry to understand if any immediate interventions are required. The heroic efforts of rail staff meant that further harm was avoided and undoubtedly saved lives.

Prior to the incident, this government introduced the Bus Services (no.2) Act which mandates training for staff working in the bus industry, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public, on how to recognise and respond to incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour on public transport. This training will require a person to take steps to prevent crime or anti-social behaviour only where it is safe to do so. This will apply to all bus operators including those operating in Lincolnshire and servicing rural areas.

BTP are responsible for policing the railway, and they deploy their officers across the network, including in Lincolnshire and rural areas, based on intelligence led briefings with daily taskings to provide reassurance to the public. They work closely with rail operators that serve those areas to conduct joint operations and have regular engagement with staff and safeguarding and security managers. In Lincoln, BTP maintains a local presence supported by officers from Nottingham to provide 24-hour response cover.

BTP’s approach to rail staff assaults is intelligence led, focusing resources on areas and individuals identified through crime data and repeat offending patterns. Where repeat offenders are identified, BTP actively manages them through targeted patrol plans and, where appropriate, applications for Criminal Behaviour Orders to prevent further offences.

BTP also work closely with Train Operating Companies to improve incident reporting, ensuring that all forms of abuse or threatening behaviour are recorded, strengthening intelligence and enabling more effective operational planning. In addition to this, BTP promotes the use of body worn video and engage directly with staff and safeguarding managers to encourage reporting and supporting prosecutions.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling harassment on public transport against women and girls in the North East. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is working across government and with partners, including the British Transport Police (BTP), the transport industry and local authorities to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling. And, as part of that, I meet with a range of stakeholders from across the country to discuss issues across my portfolio, including the safety of women and girls on public transport.

Last month, the Department and Greater Manchester Combined Authority jointly hosted a Safer Streets, Safer Transport Summit which brought together representatives from across the transport industry, Government, local authorities (including the North East Combined Authority), the third sector and policing to commit to taking action against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

As part of the Government’s aims to reduce VAWG by half over the next decade, the Department has an ambitious, evidence-based programme of work to help tackle VAWG on transport. This includes measures in the Bus Services Act 2025 such as training on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour. The Act also enables all Local Transport Authorities to introduce byelaws to tackle ASB on vehicles, as well as within and at bus-related infrastructure (for example bus stations).

The Department supports BTP’s zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and sexual offences. This includes using a range of policing techniques to pursue offenders on the rail network to ensure it remains a safe environment and encourage reporting of incidents via BTP’s 61016 text number or 999 in an emergency.

BTP officers in the North East attend the local Safer Transport Regional Group and the Violence Against Women and Girls on Transport Partnership Working Group, strengthening collaboration with partners and focusing joint efforts on preventing these offences.

BTP also deliver numerous public campaigns to increase VAWG reporting across the network including in the North East. The Rail Delivery Group also delivers its ‘zero tolerance’ campaign, which is aimed at educating people about the different types of sexual harassment and encouraging reporting to the BTP or anonymously to crime stoppers.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that motorway and service station operators provide a sufficient number of accessible parking bays for disabled motorists. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport sets out minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at motorway service areas, motorway rest areas and all-purpose trunk road service areas in Department for Transport Circular 01/2022 Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development.

At motorway service areas (MSAs) the minimum car parking requirement for disabled users is 5% of the number of car parking spaces required. Where that number falls below 5, a minimum of 5 spaces shall be provided. There is also a minimum of two additional car parking spaces for disabled users for lodges (hotels located at MSAs). The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 5% of the number of parking spaces required for these vehicles, and where the number falls below 2, a minimum of 2 spaces shall be provided

The parking requirements for a motorway rest area are half of those required for a motorway service area rounded up to a whole number as necessary.

The minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at all-purpose trunk road service areas is 3 spaces and an additional minimum of 2 spaces for lodges. The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 1.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle  delays in processing re-applications to the DVLA following the voluntarily surrender of driving licences on medical grounds. \p Simon Lightwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer. This is because the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA continues to make improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions and is currently rolling out a new casework system. This is expected to deliver significant improvements to the handling of medical cases, support growing customer demand and helping to reduce processing times.

To help reduce the time taken to deal with medical applications, the DVLA has introduced a simplified licence renewal process for some medical conditions. This has reduced the need for further information from medical professionals, enabling more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver.

Those applying for a driving licence after previously surrendering it voluntarily may be able to drive while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found online at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf.
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Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of pavement parking on levelks of (a) wellbeing, (b) social isolation and (c) economic opportunities of disabled people. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairments and disabled people with wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs. To inform next steps, the Department has considered the potential options, assessing the costs and benefits to households and businesses, which includes well-being, social isolation and economic opportunities. This assessment drew on existing evidence, including the 2020 pavement parking consultation. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.
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David Mundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects temporary restrictions on the carrying of liquids by passengers using airports that fully operate Next Generation Security Checkpoints to be lifted. \p Keir Mather: Passengers can already carry liquids in containers up to 2L where their airport has upgraded to equipment which has passed relevant certifications.
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Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce the cost of creating new walking, wheeling and cycling routes on disused railways. \p Lilian Greenwood: Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the historic rail estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.

In the Spending Review we announced that we are allocating £616 million for Active Travel England from 2026-27 to 2029-30 to support local authorities to build and maintain walking and cycling infrastructure. This is in addition to the almost £300 million funding for active travel in 2024/25 and 2025/26 which we announced in February.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she has made an estimate of the number of food delivery drivers who operate on a provisional motorcycle driving license. \p Simon Lightwood: Around 180,000 compulsory basic training (CBT) certificates are issued by the motorcycle instructor training industry per year. Neither the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency nor the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency hold data on the professions of those holding a provisional motorcycle driving license.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many different transactions or processes between members of the public and DVLA can only be completed if payment is made by a member of the public by (a) cash, (b) cheque and (c) postal order. \p Simon Lightwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offers nearly 50 main customer facing services and the vast majority of these are available online with a range of payment options. Only seven applications currently require payment by cash, cheque or postal order and these are listed below. These services require a manual payment as the applications must currently be submitted in paper form because (for example) original documentation may need to be submitted or these transactions cannot yet be carried out online.

1

Application to exchange a non-GB driving licence for a GB one.

2

Application for a driving licence following a disqualification.

3

Requests for vehicle information from individuals (companies and other organisations can use the automated online service).

4

Application for a vehicle registration certificate where the original is not available.

5

Application for the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty when the recipient receives the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment.

6

Application to amend vehicle excise duty details - for example up or down plating of a heavy goods vehicle

7

Trade licence applications, including first licences, renewal or replacement.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the press release entitled £1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash, published on 16 June 2025, whether it is her Department’s policy that all weight-restricted bridges should be able to take HGVs. \p Simon Lightwood: The Structures Fund will inject cash into repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels. It offers an opportunity to support places to repair local bridges that currently have weight restrictions placed on them so that these restrictions can be lifted and bridges re-opened to HGV traffic.

However, it is not Department for Transport policy for absolutely all weight restricted bridges to be able to take HGVs. Whether to introduce a weight limit on a structure is a decision for the relevant local highway authority and will depend on local circumstances. For example, it may not be appropriate or possible for some historic bridges or those with protected status to carry these kinds of vehicles.

We will publish more information about the Structures Fund and how local areas can get involved in due course.
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Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide an update on the Government’s plans to address pavement parking; and if she will set out a timetable for when local authorities will be given further powers to tackle this issue. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. Local authorities can make use of Traffic Regulation Order powers to manage pavement parking.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandating zero-emission transport refrigeration units for refrigerated transport to replace diesel units. \p Keir Mather: The Department for Transport is working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to develop an Off-Road Machinery Decarbonisation Strategy, the scope of which includes transport refrigeration units (TRUs). This strategy will set out how off-road machinery can further decarbonise while maintaining competitiveness, attracting investment, and supporting growth. Decisions on the long-term approach towards refrigerated units will be taken in the context of this strategy.
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Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for announcing further details on the regulation of private electric scooters, as indicated in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government is committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows.

We understand the importance of providing a clear legislative timeline and my Department is working with colleagues across government to secure this.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the establishment of Great British Railways on the cost of rail services for passengers. \p Keir Mather: The Secretary of State will set the overall parameters for fares, reflecting their role in balancing affordability and taxpayer contributions to the railway, while Great British Railways (GBR) will set and manage individual fares for its services, creating a simpler, more consistent fares structure that passengers can trust. These decisions will be made in future once GBR is established.

The new framework will also continue to safeguard existing statutory discount schemes, including those for disabled, senior, and younger passengers, currently delivered as railcards. There are no plans to withdraw other railcard schemes (e.g. Veterans or 26–30 railcards). GBR will have the flexibility to evolve these offers over time in line with passenger needs.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer received on 23 October 2025 to Question 83549 on utilities: repairs and maintenance, what the evidential basis is to suggest potential misuse of emergency repair provisions by utilities is low. \p Simon Lightwood: In response to the Honourable Member’s question on 23 October 2025, the data, sourced from Street Manager, the Government’s digital platform for managing highway works, shows no evidence of widespread misuse of immediate permits. The Department for Transport will work with the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee to revise the Co-ordination Code of Practice, aiming to provide clearer guidance on the appropriate use of immediate permits.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects the (a) economic and (b) environmental analysis of Heathrow Airport expansion to (i) commence and (ii) be completed. \p Keir Mather: On 22 October, the Secretary of State for Transport launched a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the primary basis for decision-making on whether to grant development consent for a new northwest runway at Heathrow. As part of the review, the Department for Transport will develop analysis on the economic and environmental impacts of expansion at Heathrow, and the outputs will be published alongside any amends to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026. Any promoter will then need to prepare and submit a development consent order, including their own analysis, for expansion for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State for Transport.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77156 on Rolling Stock: Leasing, whether any of the train operating companies transferred into public ownership since July 2024 have seen rolling stock leasing arrangements novated unchanged to the new public sector operator; and what the total annual cost to the public purse is of those unchanged existing agreements. \p Keir Mather: We are transferring currently franchised services into public ownership as current contracts expire, after they reach their contractual break point or if the contractual right to terminate is met - avoiding the need to pay compensation to the current operators for early termination. The services of three train operating companies have transferred into public ownership since July 2024, South Western Railway, c2c and Greater Anglia. The leasing arrangements for both c2c and Greater Anglia were novated on their existing terms. The Government had already been covering the costs of these since the pandemic. The annual cost of rolling stock to operators is published on an annual basis by the Office for Rail and Road.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82992 on Railways: Freight, which schemes set out in the Spending Review were identified as having potential for increasing the capacity for freight on the routes; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those schemes on freight network performance. \p Simon Lightwood: The government recognises that the economic and environmental potential of rail freight is significant and that is why we are committed to supporting its growth.

The Spending Review confirmed a number of infrastructure schemes across the country to help support the economy, housing and jobs. These include £3.5 billion for the TransPennine Route Upgrade and £2.5 billion for the continued delivery of East-West Rail between Oxford and Cambridge. Both projects will deliver benefits for rail freight, as well as passenger services.

Options are currently being developed for the Transpennine Route Upgrade to provide increased capacity for rail freight from east and west coast ports to inland terminals.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82990 on Railways: Essex, what estimate her Department has made of the capital cost of that proposal; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposal on (a) efficiency and (b) emissions. \p Keir Mather: As per the answer of 27th October, Initial assessments indicate that electrifying the branch between London Gateway and Thames Haven Junction would improve the efficiency and reliability of rail freight while reducing emissions. We will continue to work closely with Network Rail and other industry partners in assessing the viability and affordability of this proposal.
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Chris Coghlan:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment the adequacy of the enforcement basis of drop-off charge systems operated by airports; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that motorists receive (a) clear and (b) accurate information on (i) airport drop-off charge system enforcement practices and (ii) the authority for issuing any related fines. \p Keir Mather: The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off and pick-up charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Any issue relating to car parking charges should be raised with the airport operator directly. However, the Department expects car parking at airports to be managed appropriately and for consumers to be treated fairly, which could include providing information on choices for parking, along with information on how to access them.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish a breakdown of the number of registered number plate suppliers registered to each of the most commonly used PO boxes. \p Lilian Greenwood: Of the 34,455 registered number plate suppliers, seven (0.02%) have a PO box address. All seven of these PO box addresses are different.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 85702 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, what information his Department holds on whether the 127 additional electric vehicle charging points will be (a) publicly available and (b) implemented during the four year period. \p Keir Mather: The On-Street Residential Charging Scheme funds publicly available chargepoints. Installation timescales will be agreed between the funded councils and their appointed chargepoint operator.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49771 on Parking: Fines, which parking sector stakeholders shared research with her Department. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL), British Parking Association (BPA) and Local Government Association (LGA) shared a report of their research with the Department. They carried out an online survey and received responses from 43 Local Authorities. We have placed a copy of the research in the Library of the House.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the FOI response Ref: FOI-00045627, if she will publish that response. \p Simon Lightwood: A copy of the response and accompanying documents have been placed in the Library of the House.
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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) fines and (b) prosecutions have resulted from the illegal importation of products of animal origin in each of the last three years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra does not hold this information.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the availability of permitted landfill capacity for industrial waste in the North East. \p Mary Creagh: The Environment Agency publishes data of landfill capacity on an annual basis which can be accessed here: Remaining Landfill Capacity - data.gov.uk
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Kate Osamor:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to implement provisions in the Environment Act 2021 to impose due diligence regulations for forest risk commodities. \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 actively considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the estimated cost of flood losses for (a) insured properties and (b) uninsured properties in each year since 2015. \p Emma Hardy: The Evidence on the Costs of Floods in England and Wales, covers the 2016 to 2019 period and the Estimating the Economic Costs of the 2015 to 2016 Winter Floods covers 2015 through to 2016.

Flood Re has enabled over 660,000 households to access affordable flood insurance since its launch, with 346,200 policies ceded in 2024/25 alone. Prior to Flood Re, average premiums for flood-affected homes were around £4,400, compared to £1,100 in 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_157

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of sewage discharges in the North West on (a) social and (b) economic well-being. \p Emma Hardy: Our landmark Water (Special Measures) Act will introduce independent monitoring of every sewerage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. Discharges will have to be reported within an hour of the initial spill.

We have begun rebuilding the water network to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. In one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country’s history, £104 billion is being invested to upgrade crumbling pipes and sewage treatment works across the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_158

Josh Newbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect kelp forests in UK waters. \p Emma Hardy: The UK recognises the important role that habitats such as kelp can play in preventing biodiversity loss, supporting healthy ecosystems and adaptation to climate change.

In England, we have a comprehensive network of 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and kelp can be found in some of these making up part of our key reef biotopes. Our focus is on ensuring these MPAs are effectively managed to allow the designated features, including those covering kelp, to achieve favourable condition.

Natural England are actively involved in the study and conservation of kelp forests in England. This work includes conducting dive surveys to monitor the condition of kelp forests, which can inform conservation action and help safeguard the long-term health of these ecosystems.

Defra set up the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership in partnership with DESNZ and the Devolved Governments to address evidence gaps around blue carbon habitats, including kelp. Defra is providing over £600,000 this financial year towards research into blue carbon, £36,000 of which is specifically directed towards macroalgae, including kelp. Defra also worked with a number of partners to produce regulatory guidance for seaweed aquaculture in England for those considering kelp aquaculture.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_159

Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered streamlining adoption processes for (a) sewers and (b) drainage systems where (i) easements and (ii) multiple landownerships delay adoption by water companies. \p Emma Hardy: Almost all private sewers, lateral drains, and pumping stations built before 2011 should have been adopted by water companies. In cases where adoption has not occurred, householders are advised to contact Ofwat.

The Government is committed to using legislation to reform the water sector and will continue to do so where necessary. Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, government will examine its recommendations and how best to address the problems caused by unadopted sewerage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_160

Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to fund flooding defence systems in winter 2025-26. \p Emma Hardy: This Government is investing £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) into our flood resilience.

Since July last year, the Environment Agency has delivered 151 flood defence schemes, better protecting over 24,000 homes and businesses. It is poised to deliver more, across all of England, benefiting thousands of homes, supporting economic growth and unlocking new land for development.

Following years of under-investment, we inherited flood defences in their worst state on record – the condition of key defences in England was at the lowest it had been since 2009/10. By redirecting £108 million into urgent flood and coastal defence maintenance we have halted the decline.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_161

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve water efficiency and (b) reduce leaks in the public water supply network. \p Emma Hardy: The Government is delivering on improvements in water efficiency and leakage reductions via a series of water demand targets, which will reduce water usage by 20% per person by 2038 and cut leakage in halve by 2050. To meet these targets, the Government is rolling out a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label for products and consulting to revise the minimum Water Efficiency Standard for new houses in the 2010 Building Regulations.

We are working with regulators to assure the roll out of 10.4 million smart meters over the next five years. This will be delivered alongside a £100 million Water Efficiency Fund (WEF) over the next 5 years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_162

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are in place to enable those parts of the country with a surplus of water to redistribute it to those areas in need. \p Emma Hardy: Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to supply water to their customers through statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). These plans set out how each company will continue to meet this duty and manage water supply and demand sustainably for at least the next 25 years.

Transferring water from areas of surplus, or from new water supply infrastructure, may contribute to a more optimal overall solution, delivering best value for society. Water company Water Resources Management Plans published in 2024/25, propose a number of larger inter-company transfers and many internal and external transfers. The Environment Agency has published a summary of the water company plans: A review of England’s revised draft regional and water resources management plans - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_163

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase regenerative farming. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Regenerative agriculture is based on an understanding that the health of the entire food system is intrinsically linked to soil health.

Healthy soils, rich in nutrients and organic matter, abundant pollinators and clean water, are essential for sustainable food production. We will support farmers and land managers to help restore nature, to safeguard our long-term food security, support productivity and build resilience to climate change.

We are investing £2.7 billion a year into sustainable food production and nature's recovery. Overall, farmers and land managers will benefit from an average of £2.3 billion a year through the Farming and Countryside Programme and up to £400 million from additional nature schemes, including those for tree planting and peatland restorations. Funding for the Environmental Land Management schemes paid to farmers will increase by 150% from £800 million in 2023/24 to £2 billion by 2028/29.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_164

Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to (a) contain, (b) clean up and (c) remediate radioactivity in the (i) air and (ii) sea as a result of (A) potential incidents and (B) accidents involving vessels transporting radioactive cargos through the English Channel. \p Emma Hardy: Defra is the lead Government department for remediating releases of radiological and nuclear materials in England.

Containment of the source may be possible but would depend on a wide range of factors.

If radioactive contamination from the air or sea was transferred to the built environment, for example deposited on a building, or was deposited on land, for example beaches, then Defra would consider recovery options. This would involve a risk-based approach using existing contingency plans to consider environmental risks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_165

Anna Dixon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage privatised water companies to increase their financial transparency. \p Emma Hardy: All companies need to submit a single, annual performance report to demonstrate compliance with their separate price controls. Annual performance reports should be accessible to all stakeholders so that they show how the sector is delivering for its customers, environment and wider society. This has been a requirement since 2015-16 and replaced the previous ‘regulatory accounts’.

Ofwat plans to consult early next year on requiring companies to publish full details of remuneration received by directors from the regulated, group and parent companies, including explanations of what the remuneration relates to.

More broadly, the Government will set out its response to the recommendations proposed by the Independent Water Commission, alongside the Government’s wider vision for the future of the water sector, via a White Paper. Following this, we plan to introduce a new water reform bill, bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, investors, and the environment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-11 conversation_166

Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to provide a regulatory framework to drive the adoption of water re-use infrastructure in the (a) household and (b) non-household markets. \p Emma Hardy: The Secretary of State will respond to recommendations in the Independent Water Commission in the upcoming White Paper publication.

A consultation launched on 23 September 2025 proposes tightening Building Regulations that could see new homes fitted with Water Saving features, such as aerated taps and showerheads, and dual flush toilets. Strengthened Water Efficiency Standards through updated Building Regulations will boost housebuilding and keep more money in families’ pockets. Updated standards will bolster drought resilience and unblock developments in water scarce areas. Future innovations such as using harvested rainwater to flush toilets are also being considered in a call for evidence running alongside the consultation.