theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Gareth Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that there is an effective replenishment conference for the Global Fund to fight HIVAids, TB and Malaria. \p Chris Elmore: The UK is proud to be co-hosting the Global Fund's Eighth Replenishment with South Africa and looks forward to working with an expanded range of partners to help end AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for good.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working with South Africa and the Global Fund on a range of international engagements and events to help generate international support for the Replenishment. For example, Heads of Mission have recently hosted events in support of the Global Fund at our High Commission in Canberra, our Embassy in Addis Ababa and our High Commission in Pretoria, in addition to bilateral discussions in other key countries.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the number of Palestinian institutions in (a) the West Bank and (b) East Jerusalem that are no longer able to provide services due to (i) Israeli demolitions, (ii) closures and (iii) funding restrictions. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Government does not hold the requested estimates, but we work closely with civil society, international organisations, and the Palestinian Authority to assess the situation facing Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on raising awareness of the potential dangers of methanol poisoning. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our Travel Advice pages for a range of countries, including Brazil, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

Since November 2024 the FCDO has also proactively communicated the risks of methanol poisoning to British travellers through Travel Aware, the FCDO's public-facing campaign that aims to arm travelling British nationals with knowledge to help them avoid incidents overseas. This includes:

In addition, the FCDO works closely with international partners, such as the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, to share best practice about how to communicate the risks of methanol poisoning to British nationals.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her US counterpart on (a) lifting restrictions on crossings and (b) restoring UN-led, coordinated humanitarian operations in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 15 September to Question 77707.
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Dr Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question HL2234 on Israel: Palestinians UIN, whether the International Committee of the Red Cross is given regular access to Marwan Barghouti. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority. The UK reaffirms our support for the ICRC as the only humanitarian actor with the experience, capability, independence and mandate to carry out their important responsibilities. We believe it is critical that the ICRC is given regular access to detainees to deliver on their independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of diplomatic engagement with the Taliban on (a) the rights of women and girls and (b) other human rights issues. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.

The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.

In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot of 9 September 2025 with case reference MW10038. \p Seema Malhotra: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member's correspondence. The Minister for International Development issued a response to the hon. Member on 16 October.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the reported massacre of of mourners in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 8 September 2025. \p Chris Elmore: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 13 October to Question 77022.
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Tonia Antoniazzi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Taliban's decision to shut down the internet in at least 11 provinces in Afghanistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Taliban's decision to shut down internet services from 29 September to 1 October was deeply concerning. It risked crippling Afghanistan's economy, causing significant issues with the delivery of vital UK aid, and cutting off vulnerable communities. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials continue to assess the impact that any future connectivity restrictions in-country would have on UK interests, including on our resettlement and relocations work and our ability to deliver life-saving aid.

The UK Government is committed to using its prominent position in multilateral forums to hold the Taliban to account for their repressive policies. Last month, the UK hosted a meeting of G7+ Special Representatives for Afghanistan: this provided an important opportunity for the UK to discuss vital issues of shared concern with key partners and highlight publicly our deep concern about the Taliban's continued denial of the Afghan people's most basic human rights.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that her policies are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Genocide Convention in the context of the findings of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, published in September 2025. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 September to Question 72500.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the level of humanitarian medical access in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK Government remains deeply concerned by the denial of entry to Gaza for UK medical personnel. We have raised these cases with Israeli counterparts and continue to press for unrestricted humanitarian access and for aid workers.
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Ms Polly Billington:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her Israeli counterpart on ending the detention of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 16 September to Question 76963.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of protections for journalists in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 3 October 2025 to question 76551.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many new allegations of (a) torture and (b) mistreatment were received by her Department in relation to British nationals in 2024. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: In 2024, there were 186 new allegations of mistreatment or torture made to consular officers by or on behalf of British nationals detained overseas.
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Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help (a) identify and (b) support older people in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 23 June to Question 57551.
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Leigh Ingham:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Israel and (b) neighbouring states on steps to (i) end the blockade of Gaza and (ii) to allow timely access for humanitarian aid. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 15 September to Question 77707.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Israel’s evacuation order from Gaza City on the adequacy of (a) food, (b) medical supplies and (c) space in humanitarian zones. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 17 September to Question 71870.
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on the (a) quantity and (b) value of UK aid that has been denied entry to Gaza by Israel since March 2025; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that those supplies reach Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 14 October to Question 75011.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) increase UK humanitarian assistance and (b) support macro-economic measures to mitigate drivers of food insecurity in Yemen; and what her planned timetable is for this. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. At the UN Security Council Monthly Briefing on Yemen, the UK continues to call for quick and collaborative action from the international community to respond to the rapidly deteriorating levels of food security and ensure the most vulnerable Yemenis are receiving the support they need.

The UK is currently the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, committing £139 million in humanitarian aid in 2024 and maintaining our commitment this financial year. Since 2015, the UK has committed over £1 billion in aid to Yemen to alleviate suffering and support the most vulnerable. The UK focuses our programming on integrating health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food security responses in areas of significant need. This year, in response to increased food insecurity, we are providing cash transfers which help to feed up to 864,000 people and support 500 health facilities with the medicines, vaccines, and nutritional supplements they need to treat 700,000 severely malnourished children.

This year, the UK's Food Security Safety Nets programme in Yemen will provide £58 million to reduce the risk of severe food insecurity, and support the Government of Yemen economic reform to facilitate a more coherent and coordinated response. In response to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, the UK mobilised an additional £13 million to support nearly one million people with emergency cash transfers. Moreover, the UK's Affordability of Food and Finance in Yemen (AFFY) programme delivers in Government of Yemen controlled areas boosting short-term macro-economic stabilisation and encouraging economic de-escalation to combat drivers of food insecurity.
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Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the authorities in the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq on the cases of (a) Sherwan Sherwani and (b) Omed Baroshki. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 71439.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the joint statement in April 2025 by UN Special Rapporteurs and Special Mechanisms on discrimination faced by the Baha’i community in Egypt; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that statement on her Department's engagement with Egypt on human rights. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 September to Question 75629.
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Alex Easton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on reports of (a) degrading treatment of and (b) discrimination against (i) Christian and (ii) Hindu prisoners in that country; and what diplomatic steps she taking to help ensure the protection of religious minority prisoners in that country. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK Government is concerned by reports of degrading treatment and discrimination against Christian and Hindu prisoners in Pakistan. Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of our diplomatic engagement and we continue to advocate for their rights with senior Pakistani officials, including in meetings between myself and Pakistan's Human Rights and Interior Ministers earlier this year.

Our High Commission in Islamabad also engages regularly with civil society and human rights defenders to monitor prison conditions and advocate for reforms. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international obligations and ensure the safety and dignity of all prisoners, regardless of faith.
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John Grady:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners to help ensure access to (a) the internet and (b) telecommunications by people in Afghanistan. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The Taliban's decision to shut down internet services from 29 September to 1 October was deeply concerning. It risked crippling Afghanistan's economy, causing significant issues with the delivery of vital UK aid, and cutting off vulnerable communities.

The UK Government is committed to using its prominent position in multilateral forums to hold the Taliban to account for their repressive policies. Last month, the UK hosted a meeting of G7+ Special Representatives for Afghanistan: this provided an important opportunity for the UK to show international leadership, highlight publicly our deep concern about the Taliban's continued denial of the Afghan people's most basic human rights and call for the full restoration of internet access for all Afghans.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of coastal defences at Hemsby in Norfolk. \p Emma Hardy: Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years.

Earlier this year an independent report commissioned by GYBC detailed how a temporary rock berm, which was installed in 2023, and other materials on the beach are now ineffective at preventing or slowing down erosion and, in some cases, are exacerbating it. GYBC have highlighted there is a risk to public safety from some of the materials on the beach and the Hemsby Stakeholder Group has agreed to look at how some of the assets might be re-purposed and re-used more effectively for the benefit of the community. GYBC have confirmed nothing will be moved until next autumn, to allow time for community input and further stakeholder group meetings.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to protect properties at risk from coastal erosion in Hemsby before winter 2025-26. \p Emma Hardy: Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years.

GYBC is a principal partner of the Resilient Coasts project, delivered and funded as part of the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme. Through this project, £1.6 million has been allocated to develop plans to help people living in homes most threatened by erosion to relocate away from areas most at risk via the transfer of planning rights. The innovative approach provides some funding towards relocation for those most affected by coastal erosion.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Environment Agency’s new flood warning service for older people. \p Emma Hardy: The Get flood warnings service was designed with input from many users including older adults and those with access needs to ensure good accessibility for all. Their feedback led to improvements like clearer navigation, screen reader compatibility and combining flood alerts and warnings onto one page. Older people can still use the 24-hour Floodline helpline, which offers general support and an accessible route for people who prefer not to go online. Floodline staff can help users sign up and manage their accounts, and people can nominate a friend or family member to receive warnings on their behalf. The service meets the GOV.UK Service Standard, meaning it is designed to be inclusive and accessible to all.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the public receive (a) timely and (b) relevant information on flood risks. \p Emma Hardy: The Environment Agency (EA) aims to issue flood alerts and warnings 30 minutes to 12 hours before flooding. The EA regularly reviews and improves its warning service, including better forecast models, adjusted thresholds for triggering alerts and warnings, and faster digital processing. This autumn, the EA will update the ‘Get flood warnings’ service to make it easier to use, more flexible, and more reliable, with clearer and more consistent messaging. The EA is also exploring artificial intelligence to deliver quicker, more accurate warnings and improve how flood risks are communicated to help people prepare.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve the regulation of water companies. \p Emma Hardy: The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, examined how to strengthen the regulation and delivery of water services to better support long-term water security, sustainable growth, and environmental protection. The Commission's final report was published on 21 July 2025, and the previous Secretary of State provided an Oral Statement to Parliament in response.

As outlined in the statement, the Government is immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations. This includes establishing a new, powerful and integrated regulator with water functions from Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

This is not the limit of our ambition. The Government will respond to Sir Jon’s recommendations in full via a White Paper, and a new water reform bill that we will introduce early this Parliament.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Environment Agency increases its attendance rate at pollution incidents. \p Emma Hardy: Ministers meet regularly with the Environment Agency Chair and Chief Executive to discuss performance across the Environment Agency’s remit.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of current enforcement measures relating to the online sale of non-native invasive plant species. \p Mary Creagh: While no specific formal assessment has been made relating to the online sale of non-native invasive plant species, the Department prioritises Inspectorate resources towards the greatest areas of risk, including online sales. The Department has assessed the enforcement measures under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 as robust and effective. The Non-native Species Inspectorate, established to enforce the Order, has developed structured approaches to monitor and act on online sales, including working with major platforms to remove non-compliant listings. Their work continues to address the risk posed by overseas sellers, strengthen online enforcement and improve compliance.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the online sale of plant species classified as (a) invasive and (b) of special concern by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat. \p Mary Creagh: The Department, through the Non-native Species Inspectorate, actively monitors the online sale of invasive and species of special concern. Since 2022, over 1,500 non-compliant listings have been identified, with targeted action resulting in the removal of 272 listings. The Inspectorate has implemented a structured quarterly search strategy and works with major platforms to improve compliance. While enforcement is more challenging for overseas sellers, efforts continue to reduce online risks to biosecurity.
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of adopting a EU-style carding system to (a) warn and (b) sanction states that are not sufficiently combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The UK’s Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Regulation (1005/2008) includes provisions that support a carding system, to warn and sanction states identified as non-cooperative in combating IUU fishing. Currently, the UK bans imports of seafood from Cambodia, Comoros and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Planning (Flooding) Bill on the risk of flooding in (a) England and (b) Wales. \p Emma Hardy: Protecting communities around the country from flooding is a priority for Government. That is why the Government is making a record £10.5 billion investment, delivering the largest flood and coastal investment programme in history. Flood risk management is a devolved matter.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation similar to that introduced in France to reduce commercial food waste. \p Mary Creagh: No assessment has been made of the merits of introducing legislation similar to that introduced in France to reduce commercial food waste.

Defra recognises the environmental, economic and social benefits of preventing food waste and redistributing surplus. This Government has announced plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy and is committed to transitioning to a circular economy – one that stimulates growth, reduces waste, and alleviates pressure on household bills. As this work is developed, we will consider the evidence for action and evaluate what interventions may be needed. This includes measures to prevent food waste and support surplus food redistribution.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) support food redistribution and (b) reduce commercial food waste. \p Mary Creagh: This Government recognises the environmental, economic and social benefits of preventing food waste and redistributing surplus. Defra's Food and Drink Waste Hierarchy outlines how all businesses should deal with food surplus and waste, preventing food surplus where possible and redistributing any surplus should it arise.

Defra funds the UK Food and Drink Pact, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste, managed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Through the Pact, we support the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, which provides a toolkit to help businesses identify their surplus and waste and take steps to reduce it. This approach enables food businesses to reduce their food waste, and get more surplus to redistributors where it does arise. Defra also engages a working group of supply chain and redistribution sector organisations to develop best practice and overcome barriers to redistribution.

In addition, a £15 million farm surplus fund, is aiming to increase the capacity and capability of the redistribution sector to ensure more farm surplus food gets to those who need it most rather than going to waste. This shall see an extra 17,000 tonnes of food waste diverted to redistribution charities.
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the devolved administrations on harmonising policy on ending the use of (a) cages and (b) close‑confinement systems in farming. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra regularly engages with the devolved Governments on a range of animal welfare issues.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that North Sea cod is fished at sustainable levels. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is committed to restoring our stocks to sustainable levels and supporting the long-term viability of the UK fishing industry. This is in line with our domestic and international obligations, including those of the Fisheries Act 2020 and Joint Fisheries Statement. We work with the EU and Norway to set annual catch limits for shared North Sea cod stocks, informed by the best available scientific advice on the state of these stocks. This is principally advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The UK continues to lead the trilateral (UK, EU and Norway) cod management working group to further our joint understanding and collaboration on existing management measures, and to consider improvements or modifications which could provide additional protection to cod substocks.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure that all commercial fish stocks have catch limits that do not exceed scientific advice. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is committed to restoring our stocks to sustainable levels and supporting the long-term viability of the UK fishing industry. This is in line with our domestic and international obligations, including those of the Fisheries Act 2020 and Joint Fisheries Statement. We work with international partners to set annual catch limits for shared fish stocks, informed by the best available scientific advice on the state of those stocks. This is principally advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of commercial fish stocks have catch limits set (a) at and (b) below levels recommended by scientific advice. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We strive to improve the sustainability of our fisheries and publish an annual independent assessment of the outcomes of our negotiations to set catch limits with other coastal states. The Government’s independent report for 2025 found that 46% of all assessed stocks had catch limits that were set at or below the recommended scientific advice.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

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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 other countries permitting poultry shows under biosecure conditions. \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. Detailed risk assessments can be found on GOV.UK.

Gatherings risk assessments focus on the risk as it relates to birds within Great Britain at the time of assessment. The policies and risk management decisions of other countries do not directly impact our assessment of risk. Context is important as there are differences in industry structure between Great British poultry and poultry in other countries; as well as differences in biosecurity requirements, disease prevalence, migratory pathways and disease control measures.

Each competent authority will need to assess the risk to animal health in their own administrations based on local risk assessments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_236

Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Flood Resilience Taskforce has made on (a) developing new toolkits for MPs and Mayors to support their understanding of flood warning systems, (b) streamlining the Flood Recovery Framework to enable faster identification of eligibility areas and (c) extending the time by which local authorities can claim business and community recovery grants. \p Emma Hardy: The Flood Resilience Taskforce developed a Flood Awareness Toolkit for MPs and Mayors which was distributed in September 2025. It provides information to support their constituents to prepare for, respond to and recover from flooding.

The Floods Resilience Taskforce has reviewed the Flood Recovery Framework to streamline recovery support. It has also worked to improve awareness and access to recovery funding for local authorities and flood-affected communities.

Following activation of the Framework for Storms Babet and Henk in 2023/24, a joint review was undertaken to improve delivery of flood recovery grants. Enhancements have been made to streamline processes, clarify responsibilities and extend data returns and claims deadlines and share best practice.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_237

Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to streamline the deer management night licensing regime. \p Mary Creagh: Defra provides a wide range of support to help landowners and managers tackle deer impacts on woodlands. This includes grants for managing their impacts and for capital items, as well as funding of relevant projects, including those that facilitate landscape scale action.

A dedicated Forestry Commission team of Deer Officers is in place, providing nationwide advice, facilitating grant support and encouraging landscape scale collaborative management.

Natural England are leading the Sussex Woods Protected Sites Strategy pilot, focused on reducing deer impacts on protected woodlands, which includes supporting landowners and managers to work together at scale to manage deer impacts.

We are considering plans for further action on deer impacts management and will outline these, including any implications for the existing regime for the licensing of managing deer at night, in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_238

Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the outcomes of her Department’s Flood Funding Reform consultation will be announced. \p Emma Hardy: On 14 October, following consultation, the government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy.

The new funding policy will optimise funding between building new flood projects and maintaining existing defences and will ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment. We will use government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources, making every £1 of government investment go further. We will also invest at least £300 million in natural flood management over ten years – the highest figure to date for the floods programme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_239

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the causes of acid rain. \p Emma Hardy: Ammonia, NOx and sulphur were the main acidifying pollutants deposited onto UK woodland in 2021. Defra has published guidance and advice through Catchment Sensitive Farming on practical actions farmers can take to reduce emissions. Grant support has also been provided to help farmers invest in equipment, such as low emission slurry spreaders, that will reduce ammonia emissions.

The Government has legally binding targets under the National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2018 to reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants such as ammonia and nitrogen oxides that contribute to nitrogen deposition which can negatively impact biodiversity in sensitive habitats.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_240

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with international agreements on reducing transboundary air pollution contributing to acid rain. \p Emma Hardy: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a Party to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. We are fully compliant with our international commitments to reduce pollutants causing acid rain. The Government is committed to continuing cooperation with our neighbours to reduce transboundary air pollution and protect the public from the harm of pollution. The UK is playing an active role in ongoing negotiations to revise the 2012 amended Gothenburg Protocol, under the Convention.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_241

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of acid rain. \p Emma Hardy: The most recent assessment of the trends in acid deposition was published in the Air Pollution Trends Report 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_242

Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Deprived communities to get new flood defences faster further to the announcement, published on 14 October 2025, how much funding her Department will allocate under the (a) new and (b) previous approach to (i) England (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) Worcestershire in 2025-26. \p Emma Hardy: On 14 October, following consultation, the government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. These changes will be used for the next flood programme starting in April 2026.

The new funding policy will optimise funding between building new flood projects and maintaining existing defences and will ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment. We will use government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources, making every £1 of government investment go further. We will also invest at least £300 million in natural flood management over ten years – the highest figure to date for the floods programme.

The specific projects to receive funding in each year will continue to be decided through the Environment Agency's annual refresh process, which will be consented by Regional Flood and Coastal Committees.

For 25/26 our programme of investment was published here: Programme of flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) schemes - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_243

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Tenant Farmers Commissioner has adequate powers to help tackle tenancy disputes. \p Dame Angela Eagle: As a non-statutory role, the Commissioner will promote and encourage good relations between tenants, landlords, and advisors, and provide a neutral and confidential point of contact for anyone who has concerns that the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England is not being followed. Where concerns or issues cannot be resolved the Commissioner will signpost sources of further professional advice as appropriate. The Government is committed to keeping the effectiveness of this approach under review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_244

Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support she is providing to the (a) horseracing industry, (b) equine sector and (c) rural economy. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport.

This year’s levy yield is set to be around £108 million which, if confirmed, exceeds the previous year's figure of £105 million.

The Secretary of State recently approved the request to put £1.15 million of levy funds towards the production costs of “Champions: Full Gallop” Series 2, which is designed to attract new fans to the sport. This sits alongside Great British Racing’s “The Going is Good” campaign which also received £3.62 million from the Levy Board.

There has been ministerial engagement between Defra and His Majesty’s Treasury to ensure that they are aware of the specific way British horseracing is funded and the potential implications of any changes to taxation.

Defra recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and acknowledges the value of a robust equine identification and traceability regime. The current system supports public health, disease outbreak management, and biosecurity. Biosecurity is also protected by the UK’s imports requirements and imports health certificates for equines.

The SPS agreement, outlined at the UK-EU Leader’s Summit on 19th May 2025, will establish a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. The SPS Agreement will cover sanitary rules and the regulation of live animals, including animal health conditions governing the movement and importation of Equidae. The SPS Agreement is built on a commitment for the UK to regulate consistently with the EU on specific SPS rules. Defra is currently working to establish what implementation of the SPS Agreement will involve for equines.

We know that rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy, contributing over £240 billion a year to England alone. This government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural business and communities.

The Spending Review settlement outlined support for the rural economy and protect the countryside. In addition to funding for sustainable farming and nature recovery, the government confirmed investment of over £1.9 billion over four years into broadband and 4G connectivity, and £2.3 billion of Local Transport Grant funding for smaller cities, towns and rural area. This funding addresses the key blockers to growth in rural areas.

Separately, Defra will confirm detailed allocations for other programmes through this round of business planning.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-21 conversation_245

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring networks her Department supports to measure acid deposition. \p Emma Hardy: The Precipitation Network (Precip-Net) measures the chemical composition of rainwater at 48 UK sites. Acid air pollutants measured include ammonium, nitrates and sulphates. More information can be found here.

It is part of the umbrella UKEAP (UK Eutrophying and Acidifying Pollutants) Network which also measures airborne concentrations of pollutants that lead to acidification and nitrogen deposition.