theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57987 on Immigration: Northern Ireland, if she will make an estimate of the number of people from (a) Europe and (b) Africa who travelled to the Irish Republic and then made onward journeys to Northern Ireland in the last three years. \p Seema Malhotra: Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57224 on Police: Pensions, if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of amending the 1987 Police Pension Scheme to allow surviving partners to retain their survivor’s pension entitlement upon remarriage or cohabitation. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office does not hold data on the number of surviving partners currently receiving a survivor’s pension under the 1987 police pension scheme who might be affected by remarriage or cohabitation.

The 1987 police pension scheme is a closed scheme and there are no plans at this time to make any further improvements to benefits accrued in it.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 54073 on Anti-social Behaviour: Lancashire, how the effectiveness of the Respect Order in tackling persistent anti-social behaviour in town centres will be evaluated. \p Dame Diana Johnson: We are committed to monitoring and evaluating the delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and have worked collaboratively with policing to agree a full performance framework for the Guarantee and its five pillars. To monitor the crackdown on anti-social behaviour we will be measuring public perceptions and experience of ASB in their local area, how many dedicated lead officers there are for ASB, presence of ASB action plans, police recorded incidents of ASB and police use of ASB powers. The performance framework is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-policing-guarantee-performance-framework

As part of their Hotspot Action Fund grant agreement forces are required to return precise data returns outlining the times spent patrolling ASB hotspots. This data is used by Home Office analysts to understand levels of patrolling and impact on volumes of ASB. Forces are also required to return data on the work they are undertaking as part of Hotspot Action Fund to problem solve the causes of ASB in their identified hotspots.

The Respect Order was introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill, to crack down on persistent anti-social behaviour and crimes blighting our high streets and town centres. We will be piloting Respect Orders in police force areas prior to national rollout. Its use will be monitored to ensure that they are as effective as possible.

In addition, through the Crime and Policing Bill, the Government will be introducing a duty for key relevant agencies including local authorities to report ASB data to the Government.

Following commencement, regulations will be laid to specify which data the relevant agencies should provide, and the form and regularity of submission. This will improve the national data on how powers are being used and why, allow better monitoring of targeted ASB interventions, and help to inform future government work to tackle ASB. Additionally, a wide range of police data is already collected through the Home Office’s Annual Data Requirement. From April 2025, this includes data on police use of ASB powers in the 2014 Act. This is initially on a voluntary basis and subject to data quality, will be made mandatory from April 2026.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on producing an estimate of the number of people living in the UK without legal immigration status. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has paid to France to support actions to prevent small boat crossings from the French coastline since 5 July 2024. \p Dame Angela Eagle: In 2023 the UK and French governments agreed a joint multi-year operational plan and a joint funding arrangement to tackle irregular migration, with details published here: UK-France Joint Leaders' Declaration - GOV.UK.
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Alex Sobel:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to process the outstanding asylum applications of Syrians in the UK. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office has withdrawn the Country Policy Information Notes and Guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions.

The pause is being kept under constant review and when there is a clear basis upon which to make decisions, we will resume the processing of them.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many permanent civil servants in her Department had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years. \p Dame Diana Johnson: In 2024-25, 24 Home Office employees were dismissed for poor performance.

Prior to April 2024 dismissals for poor performance were included for data collection purposes in a broader category of efficiency dismissals, so figures for poor performance dismissals are not available prior to that date.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many higher education students have claimed asylum in the final six months of their course in each of the last five years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Available data on the ‘Source of asylum claims in 2024’ was published by the Home Office on 30th March 2025.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a standalone offense of assaulting a retail worker that includes (a) bank and (b) building society workers. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, including public-facing roles in banks and building societies.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has also introduced a specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years, and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who arrived illegally into the UK (a) in total and (b) who are housed in Cheshire had their biometrics taken upon entry into the country in the last 12 months. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
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Tristan Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timeline is for introducing legislation to prohibit the sale of sharp-pointed kitchen and utility knives for domestic use; and what steps she is taking to ensure that large online retailers comply with any such future restrictions. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government’s mission to halve knife crime over a decade will be delivered through tougher enforcement and stronger prevention, and we are actively considering a range of options to achieve those goals, further details of which will be set out in the normal way in due course.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are being housed in houses of multiple occupation in Lincolnshire. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Tristan Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating the registration of Sex Offenders under the Sexual Offenders Act 2003 to include a private police record of (a) email address, (b) telephone numbers, (c) (i) registration and (ii) monitoring of any tablet and computer devices and (d) other information. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Crime and Policing Bill has already introduced a number of measures which will strengthen the management of sex offenders, including requiring registered sex offenders to provide notification in advance of changing their name and placing restrictions on certain offenders changing their name without seeking police authorisation.

In addition to the above measures, regulations will be made under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 which expand the notifiable information that must be provided by registered sex offenders. The additional notifiable information will include:

The changes to the notifiable information will allow the police to monitor registered sex offenders more closely and protect the public from the risk of sexual harm. We will continue to keep this area under review as we formulate our long term strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.
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Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of adding wider information on offences involving crossbows in the Annual Data Requirement. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The responses to the call for evidence on the controls on crossbows have been reviewed and we will publish the Government’s response to this shortly.

The Home Office collects a wide range of data from police forces in England and Wales under the Annual Data Requirement (ADR). These data include information on homicides where the method of killing was by a crossbow or catapult. The Home Office reviews the data required for policy delivery and publication supplied under the ADR on an annual basis with police forces, and we will consider whether wider information on offences involving crossbows should be added to the ADR in the future.
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Sir Iain Duncan Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on (a) the space available for and (b) policing of protests at the site of the old Royal Mint, in the context of proposals to build a new Chinese Embassy on that site. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The management and safety of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police.

The Metropolitan Police Service have provided their assessment of the potential management of protests outside Royal Mint Court in their publicly available submission to the Planning Inquiry on 10 February 2025.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) asylum seekers and (b) failed asylum claimants that have used multiple identities or aliases while in the UK. \p Dame Angela Eagle: All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.

Applicants who seek to change the information they have provided at any stage of the asylum process – including their name – must submit a request to the Home Office to have their records updated. All such changes are closely scrutinised both to prevent fraud, and assess the credibility of the claimant.

Any changes must be formally reported and are logged in official case records. And even when an individual does change their name, their previous identity will remain on their casefile, linked to their new name and to their registered biometrics (facial image and fingerprints), mitigating any risks related to fraud or misidentification.

The Home Office has published guidance to explain the documentary evidence individuals (including asylum seekers) need to supply when they request a change of name on any digital and physical documents issued by the Home Office.

Use and change of names guidance - GOV.UK

UKVI identity standards (accessible) - GOV.UK

The Home Office does not centrally hold information relating to the number of requests for name changes, and could only collate such data at disproportionate costs through the manual review of case files held across multiple systems.
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Catherine Atkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Health and Social Care and (b) Justice on the potential impact of (i) court backlogs, (ii) waiting lists for NHS services and (iii) levels of access to therapeutic support on levels of demand for local non-statutory victim support services. \p Jess Phillips: It is unacceptable that victims requiring support are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for NHS mental health services are far too long. As part of the Government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future, the Department of Health and Social Care is focused on ensuring the NHS is providing the right mental health support to the right people at the right time

For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded.

However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve. That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of efficiency that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the cost per unit for the Metropolitan Police’s new Plasan SandCat armoured vehicles. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Decisions around the procurement of equipment, including armoured vehicles, are a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents and are made in line with the needs of their police force and their budget allocation.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Office for National Statistics on developing a reliable estimate of the irregular migrant population using available (a) administrative and (b) survey data. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of leaving the Dublin Convention on the numbers of illegal migrants entering the UK. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Dublin III Regulation ceased to apply to the UK from January 2021 onwards. Any assessment of the potential impact of that change would have been for the previous government to make at the time in question.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of establishing a safeguarding process to protect child refugees who are being mistakenly routed through the adult asylum system. \p Dame Angela Eagle: It is Home Office policy that an individual claiming to be a child will only be treated as an adult, if two Home Office members of staff independently determine that the individual's physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggests they are significantly over 18 years of age. The lawfulness of this process was endorsed by the Supreme Court in the case of R (on the application of BF (Eritrea)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 38.

Where there remains doubt about the individual’s age, they will be transferred to a local authority for further consideration of their age, usually in the form of a holistic social worker assessment of age, referred to as a ‘Merton’ age assessment.

We continue to work with local authorities and our asylum accommodation providers to ensure appropriate processes for individuals claiming to be children. For example, we have already improved information sharing with local authorities so that we are more routinely sharing reports for initial decisions on age, when required, as well as reviewing the initial decisions on age training rolled out to Home Office staff at the Western Jet Foil in Kent. We are also exploring new methods of scientific and technological age assessment, including Facial Age Estimation.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with regards to her Department's White Paper on Restoring control over the immigration system, published 12 May, if she will publish further information on how changes to the (a) standard qualifying period for settlement to 10 years will affect people already in the UK, (b) pathway to settlement will affect non-UK dependants and (c) qualifying period base on Points-Based contributions will affect applicants. \p Seema Malhotra: We will reform our settlement and citizenship rules by expanding the Points-Based System and increasing the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years.

Individuals will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period to settlement and citizenship based on contributions to the UK economy and society.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been prosecuted for espionage in the last 12 months. \p Dan Jarvis: From 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025, seven people have been convicted under espionage offences.

These offences were contrary to section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 and conspiracy to spy offences contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

A number of related cases are proceeding through the courts at various stages though these have not yet concluded.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 36235 on Oppression: China, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the redevelopment of a Chinese embassy in London on the ability of Hong Kong nationals in the UK to exercise their right to (a) free speech and (b) peaceful protest since 6 March 2025. \p Dan Jarvis: The management and safety of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police, and the Metropolitan Police Service have provided their assessment of the potential management of protests outside Royal Mint Court in their submission to the Planning Inquiry.
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Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of brown hares shot in England between February and October each year. \p Mary Creagh: Defra holds no official statistics on the number of brown hares shot in England between February and October each year. We are however aware of a number of estimates made by stakeholder groups which range markedly from the low tens of thousands to the low hundreds of thousands.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of excess sewage sludge on levels of river pollution. \p Emma Hardy: Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) supported by the Sewage Sludge Code of Practice provide environmental and health protections from sludge spreading.

The Government is continuing to work with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge.
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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 support local authorities to tackle fly-tipping in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Mary Creagh: Fly-tipping is a serious crime which blights local communities and the environment, and we appreciate the difficulty and cost that it poses to landowners.

Local councils are usually best placed to tackle fly-tipping in their areas, and they have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are taking steps to develop new enforcement guidance. We are also conducting a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help them make better use of this tool.

Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities and the Environment Agency, to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping, including on private land. Various practical tools are available from their webpage which is available here.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to develop (a) fiscal and (b) regulatory frameworks to support (i) private and (ii) blended finance for large-scale rewilding and nature recovery projects in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. \p Mary Creagh: The UK Government is committed to scaling up private and blended finance for nature recovery and sustainable farming.

In England, we are actively working to strengthen regulatory frameworks for high-integrity nature markets. This includes a Call for Evidence (published 12 June) on clarifying demand from nature-dependent sectors, and a public consultation (27 April) on improving standards and oversight for carbon and nature markets. The deadline for submitting comment to the Call for Evidence is 7 August.

Environmental and agricultural policy are devolved matters. However, the UK and Devolved Governments are collaborating to ensure coherence across the UK, including through joint governance of the British Standards Institution’s UK Nature Investment Standards programme.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to support the development of fish processing facilities in coastal communities. \p Daniel Zeichner: This Government supports the fishing industry and recognises their key role in food supply. As part of this support, Defra has reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient seafood sector. In addition to this, the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund will support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities.
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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to protect (a) ancient woodlands, (b) coastal and estuarine habitats and (c) wetlands and reedbeds in Lancashire. \p Mary Creagh: We are investing up to £400 million each year for nature schemes. Defra recently conducted and published a review into how ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees are protected by the National Planning Policy Framework. This revealed that the policy is not being consistently implemented and in collaboration with MHCLG, we are looking at how this can be improved. We continue to update the Ancient Woodland Inventory. It was most recently updated on 2 June 2025 and has recorded over 52,000 ancient woodland sites in England.

Natural England (NE) updated the Ancient Woodland Inventory for Lancashire, published earlier this year. This ensures all mapped areas are now protected from negative development impacts under the National Planning Policy Framework. NE has been supporting the responsible authority in Lancashire to prioritise ancient woodlands in the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, including a key measure for the restoration, protection, and expansion of ancient woodlands.

Working proactively with ‘Our Future Coast’ project, NE is supporting natural coastal protection for communities. It is working in partnership with coastal groups to raise awareness of more natural solutions, whilst providing pre-consultation and statutory advice on flood schemes and development along the coast to protect the unique natural environment and birds.

NE is supporting wetter farming in Lancashire through an EU funded partnership research project called Pallus Demos. It is also working with Rivers Trusts and United Utilities to create more wetlands and reedbeds in the area through Natural Flood Management. Farming schemes are an essential tool and the Brock and Calder Landscape Recovery Project will provide landscape scale improvements in the Wyre Catchment. NE continues to provide statutory advice to protect existing protected habitats, and species.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he list the (a) tax reliefs and (b) grant schemes to support fishing vessel upgrades to adapt to changing (i) economic and (ii) environmental conditions. \p Daniel Zeichner: Alongside existing tax reliefs, we are committed to supporting fishers through targeted financial schemes that enable vessel modernisation and adaptation. Available reliefs include Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA), Fuel Duty Relief, and Capital Allowances on plant and machinery.

To further support the industry, Defra reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient seafood sector. Additionally, the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund will secure our fishing industry for decades to come and support our coastal communities and make it fit for the 21st century.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on protecting (a) global forests and (b) the rights of (i) indigenous peoples and (ii) local communities. \p Mary Creagh: The UK strongly supports global efforts to protect forests, including advocating for the international commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, while supporting livelihoods and economic development.

We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. In 2022, UK consumption was associated with 35.6 thousand hectares of deforestation globally. We are considering the critical guardianship provided by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in protecting forests as well as the importance of safeguarding customary tenure rights in developing our approach, which we will set out in due course.

In October 2024, at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, I launched the Principles for Inclusive, Gender-Responsive and Locally-Led Biodiversity Action. These were developed by Defra in collaboration with global stakeholders to guide governments, donors, NGOs, and others in supporting biodiversity efforts that are inclusive, locally-led, and gender-responsive.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether expenditure on (a) swift bricks and (b) bee houses and biomes for new-build homes can be counted towards biodiversity net gain units. \p Mary Creagh: No, expenditure on swift bricks, bee houses and bee biomes cannot be counted towards biodiversity net gain (BNG) units which must be calculated using the main Statutory BNG metric or the small sites version of it.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to funding to Natural England for national landscapes on important (a) habitats and (b) wildlife. \p Mary Creagh: For the 2024-2025 financial year Natural England received a total of £237 million funding from Defra in their Delegated Authority Document, and for 2025-2026 this figure is £248 million.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the native (a) timber and (b) hardwoods market through (i) sustainable woodland creation, (ii) supply chain development and (iii) local processing infrastructure. \p Mary Creagh: The Timber in Construction Innovation Fund has awarded £2.3 million to support 14 projects to show the suitability and viability of England’s woodlands resource. We will continue our current approach of funding the establishment of native broadleaf woodlands and supporting the planting of well-designed and managed mixed and conifer-dominated woodlands. We aim to increase the use of both softwood and hardwood sourced from domestic forests in construction projects. We are working in collaboration with the forestry, wood processing and construction sectors to boost the use of timber in construction and drive innovation in the sector through the Timber in Construction Roadmap.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support local authorities to (a) monitor and (b) reduce particulate pollution in (i) residential and (ii) agricultural areas in Fylde. \p Emma Hardy: Local authorities review and assess air quality in their areas and publish an annual report on their actions to improve local air quality including local monitoring data which is assessed by Defra. Fylde council have reported continued compliance with the Air Quality Objectives set by central Government and have an Air Quality Strategy in place aimed at further reducing pollution from key sources.

Defra supports local authorities through the provision of clear detailed statutory guidance and a helpline provided via contractors. We also host the Air Quality Hub; a resource and knowledge-sharing platform for local authorities.

The Government will publish a revised Environmental Improvement Plan, to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet the ambitious Environment Act targets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_266

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of investment in fish processing infrastructure. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government works closely with the processing sector across the UK and recognises that it is integral to the success of the wider UK seafood supply chain. The Government has supported the processing sector through a variety of initiatives, including investments in infrastructure through funding schemes such as the UK Seafood Fund. These efforts aim to ensure the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the UK seafood supply chain.

The Government monitors levels of investment through mechanisms such as Seafish’s annual surveys. We recognise that levels of private investment in the seafood processing sector can vary over time for a range of reasons.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_267

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department  plans to implement a mandatory Digital Equine ID system. \p Daniel Zeichner: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2025 to the hon. Member for Windsor, UIN 41275.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_268

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing compensation schemes for fishers affected by environmental designations. \p Daniel Zeichner: In a written statement released in January 2025 by Minister Hardy, it was recognised that the accelerating development of marine activities, including environmental protection and restoration measures such as the designation of new Marine Protected Areas, is increasing marine spatial tensions. The Government will ensure that the fishing industry is supported to adapt to increased pressure on space, and we will work with the industry to maintain its viability into the future. We are looking at how to best support fishers and will work closely with them as part of this work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_269

Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of improving regulations for non-quota species in UK waters. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government recognises the value and importance of non-quota species (NQS). Improving regulation to protect these stocks and secure the future of the fishing industry is a priority for this Government and part of an on-going programme of work though Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs). Following publication of six FMPs in 2023, new measures to improve regulation of NQS are being introduced. More plans to improve NQS regulation are due to be published by the end of 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_270

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure that fishing corridors are maintained and (b) minimise the potential impact of offshore wind developments on fishing grounds. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment, including fisheries. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ways for different industries such as offshore wind and fishing to co-exist and benefit from our marine space.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_271

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Marine Protected Areas and (b) offshore wind development on (i) fishing grounds and (ii) fishermen. \p Emma Hardy: Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ways for different industries such as offshore wind and fishing to co-exist and benefit from our marine space.

When designating Marine Protected Areas, fisheries regulators make detailed assessments of the impact of all fishing activities on the protected species and habitats in our MPAs and develop byelaws to restrict fishing when it has been assessed as damaging. Any proposed byelaws are consulted on, including with the fishing industry. These site-by-site assessments help to ensure fishing is not unduly restricted.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_272

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) animal sanctuaries and (b) rescue and rehoming centres on the challenges faced in providing for the welfare needs of animals. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra regularly engages with a range of stakeholders with an interest in animal welfare, including charities and regulatory agencies. We continue to explore opportunities to improve coordination and information sharing where appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_273

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54689 on Dangerous Dogs: Social Rented Housing, if he will provide additional guidance to the owners of XL Bully dogs who have exempted the dog but are denied the right to keep it in social housing. \p Daniel Zeichner: It is for the housing provider to decide their own policies on whether they permit tenants to keep exempted banned breed types. Owners of XL Bullies can contact their housing provider if they have queries about their policy in relation to exempted dogs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_274

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will (a) continue and (b) improve the Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy. \p Emma Hardy: Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.

Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector. Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_275

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of trends in the level of compliance among individuals offering pet services via online platforms with the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. \p Daniel Zeichner: The (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 regulate commercial activity in relation to selling animals as pets; providing for, or arranging for, the provision of boarding for cats or dogs; hiring out horses; dog breeding and keeping or training animals for exhibition. Anyone conducting these activities as a business needs a valid licence. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences.

Local authorities provide a statutory annual data return including information on the number of licences issued, varied and revoked by local authorities for each activity. Returns are published here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_276

Caroline Voaden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofwat on the standardisation of social tariff schemes for water bills. \p Emma Hardy: All water companies have a range of measures in place for people who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including social tariffs, WaterSure, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.

The Government is working with industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_277

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which organisations from the food and drink sector has he met to discuss the Food Labelling Consultation since July 2024; and what the dates were of those meetings. \p Daniel Zeichner: I regularly meet with key food and drink sector stakeholders such as the Food and Drink Federation, the National Farmers' Union, UK Hospitality, and the British Retail Consortium to discuss food system issues including relevant Government consultations such as the Fairer Food Consultation.

Defra officials also engage regularly with a range of key food and drink stakeholders, including as part of the ongoing development of the Government's food and animal welfare strategies.

Additionally, I am pleased to let the Hon. Member know that the Summary of Responses and Government Response to the consultation have now been published.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-17 conversation_278

Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to extend funding for charities to redistribute food supplies to local (a) charities and (b) community organisations. \p Mary Creagh: Defra recently announced grant funding of £13.6 million in 2025/26 to increase the capacity and capability of 12 charities to redistribute surplus food from farms into charitable networks. Applications were open to not-for-profit organisations redistributing surplus food including local charities and community organisations.

The longevity of the projects formed part of the selection criteria for funding, so we expect the funding to support the redistribution of farm surplus for many years to come.