theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Building Safety Remediation: monthly data release - December 2024, published on 23 January 2025, how many of the buildings where enforcement action has been taken but which are not in any remediation funding programme are leaseholder-owned. \p Alex Norris: We do not hold information on whether buildings outside the scope of government funded remediation programmes are collectively owned.
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Alison Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the regeneration of town centres affected by increased vacancy rates. \p Alex Norris: This government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets and supporting the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful. The government has committed £1.5 billion towards a reformed Long-Term Plan for Towns to regenerate communities across the UK.

The law in this area is devolved but to address the blight of vacancy in town centres in England, the government has implemented High Street Rental Auctions, which empowers local authorities to auction the lease of persistently vacant commercial high street properties, and we will also introduce a new ‘right to buy’ to enable communities to protect valued assets.
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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on using local growth funding to help increase economic growth in West Yorkshire. \p Alex Norris: The Department’s Ministerial team has had a range of discussions with Ministerial colleagues in His Majesty’s Treasury as well as the Mayor of West Yorkshire and the Combined Authority about their priorities and plans, as part of the Government’s mission to empower local leaders to drive economic growth. We are working with the area to identify shared priorities for growth through the Local Growth Plan and are providing West Yorkshire with over £1.14 billion of funding over 30 years to support growth and business investment.
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Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on ensuring that constraints on the strategic road network do not prevent local authorities from delivering housing targets set out in their local plans. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Secretary of State regularly engages with cabinet colleagues on matters of strategic importance.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that new housing development is supported by infrastructure, including transport. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure.

A key function of local development plans is to address infrastructure requirements, including how any schemes are to be funded and brought forward. This aspect of plans is publicly examined by an independent Inspector to determine whether a local plan is sound and can be adopted.

To further underpin this objective the government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when local elections will be held for (a) areas submitting reorganisation proposals by May 2025, (b) Devolution Priority Programme areas (DPP) submitting proposals by September 2025, (c) postponed shadow unitary elections and (d) postponed mayoral elections. \p Jim McMahon: For both (a) and (b) the postponed May 2025 elections will take place in May 2026 alongside the scheduled district councils in the area.

In addition, (a) For areas submitting reorganisation proposals by May 2025, the most ambitious timeline is likely to lead to shadow elections in 2026; (b) for Devolution Priority Programme areas (DPP) submitting proposals by September 2025, we anticipate mayoral elections in 2026.

(c) no shadow unitary elections have yet been scheduled;

(d) no mayoral elections have been postponed.
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Alison Griffiths:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to provide an Answer to Question 25490 tabled by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton on 21 January 2025. \p Daniel Zeichner: An answer to Question 25490 was published on 24 February 2025. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.
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Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the development of a national methane action plan. \p Emma Hardy: We do not believe we need a methane action plan, as it is already covered in our existing delivery Plan for Carbon Budgets. We will publish an updated Plan that will outline the policies and proposals needed to meet Carbon Budgets 4-6 and the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution on a pathway to net zero in due course. This will include key methane policies covering the period up to 2030 that will contribute towards the Global Methane Pledge.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero work closely together on common climate change and environmental issues including around methane.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of changes in the level of annual water bills for households in England and Wales. \p Emma Hardy: Under the Conservatives, our sewage system crumbled. They irresponsibly let water companies divert customers’ money to line the pockets of their bosses and shareholders. The public are right to be angry after they have been left to pay the price of Conservative failure.

As the independent economic regulator, Ofwat independently scrutinises water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.

The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.

Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle illegal sewage dumping. \p Emma Hardy: This Government has taken immediate and substantial action to address the performance of water companies who are not delivering for the environment or their customers.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill will provide the most significant increase in enforcement powers for the regulators in a decade, giving them the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies in the next investment period. The Bill will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

The regulators will take action if any illegality is identified. The regulators have launched the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever. As part of their investigation, Ofwat has proposed fines of £168 million against three water companies. This investigation is a priority for Ofwat, and it will continue to work as quickly as possible on all remaining companies.

On 23 October 2024 the UK and Welsh Governments launched an independent commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe and supported by expert advisors, to recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system.

The commission aims to build consensus for a resilient and innovative water sector and a robust wider regulatory framework that will deliver long-term benefits, restore rivers, lakes, and seas to good health, provide a reliable and efficient water supply in a changing climate, and ultimately serve both customers and the environment. Once the commission has made recommendations, both Governments will respond and consult on proposals, including potential legislation.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on planting trees along new roads. \p Mary Creagh: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Departments planned timeline is to ensure that at least 50% of all food purchased by the public sector is (a) locally produced and (b) sustainable; and what progress he has made on this. \p Daniel Zeichner: At last month’s Oxford Farming Conference, as part of the government’s New Deal for Farmers, the Government announced a series of reforms, including, where possible, backing British produce. It was also announced that for the first time ever, the government will review food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from. This work will start right away and be a significant first step in understanding how to capitalize on the Government’s purchasing power: informing any changes to public sector food procurement policies in due course.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the findings in the UK Food Security Report, published on 11 December 2024 on resilience to exogenous shocks in the food system. \p Daniel Zeichner: The UK has a high degree of food security, but the 2024 UK Food Security Report shows that food security cannot be taken for granted. Strengthening food security by supporting our farmers and food producers is a top priority for this Government.

While climate and geopolitical volatility have weakened aspects of food supply stability since 2021, food availability or the quantity of food available to the UK has been maintained thanks to continued resilience in food production and the global trading system.

Food production faces pressing risks from climate change and nature loss over the longer term. Defra is taking action to reduce this impact and support the continued production and supply of food for UK citizens. For example, the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), sets out a range of measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change across the agri-food chain.

Work is also underway to develop an ambitious food strategy. The strategy will set the food system up for long-term success and will deliver wide ranging improvements; through building resilience in the face of climate shocks and geopolitical changes, while protecting the supply chain which operates so effectively to feed the nation.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking steps to use the Government's tree planting programme to help tackle down-stream flooding. \p Emma Hardy: Tree planting along rivers, as well as woodland creation across hill slopes in the wider catchment, can help slow water flow and temporarily store water as part of natural flood management.

The England Woodland Creation Offer provides financial support for tree planting and incentivises woodland creation that reduces flood risk through supplementary payments.

The ‘Woodlands for Water’ project, supported by Defra, has been providing targeted facilitation to support landowners to access tree planting grants to support the creation of woodland along rivers, which can improve water quality, manage flood risks and boost biodiversity.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Flood Resilience Taskforce Meeting held on 5 February 2025. \p Emma Hardy: The Flood Resilience Taskforce met for the second time on 5 February. It included representation from national and local government, the emergency services, businesses and environmental interest groups.

The Taskforce discussed the impacts and learning from flooding experienced since September and outline proposals to reform the flood investment framework ahead of a consultation later this Spring.

Outcomes from the discussion included agreement to continue work to improve warning and informing services, to consider the support available to local authorities, and identify vulnerable communities.

This work will be taken forward through action groups that will report to the next Taskforce meeting.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce legislation to ban the commercial movement of pregnant dogs. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom. We will use these powers to prohibit the bringing into Great Britain of heavily pregnant dogs and cats.

We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will amend the law on dangerous dogs attacking cats to hold owners responsible. \p Daniel Zeichner: It is an offence under section 3(1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to be dangerously out of control. Any dog that is dangerously out of control can be euthanised and their owners put in prison for up to 14 years and be banned from ever owning a dog.  The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance indicates dog attacks on other animals may amount to a dog being dangerously out of control, not least because of the risk to its owner should they seek to intervene in the attack on their animal.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the trade of primates as pets in the UK. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 was signed into law on 5 March 2024 and will prohibit the keeping of primates as pets in England without a specialist license, improving the welfare of potentially thousands of animals. The legislation sets strict rules to ensure that only private keepers who can provide zoo-level welfare standards will be able to keep primates and will come into force on 6 April 2026.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce legislation to ban the sale of bagged peat compost. \p Mary Creagh: I refer the hon. Member to the response given to PQ 4272 on 12 September 2024.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing labelling on animal products that will inform consumers of (a) how that animal was kept and (b) how that animal was killed. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government recognises the strong public interest in clearer animal welfare information on the food they buy.

A consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling, was undertaken by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to strengthen the powers of water regulators. \p Emma Hardy: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

The AI (artificial intelligence) Opportunities Action Plan sets out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for growth, driving adoption and building UK capabilities.  We recognise that data centres face sustainability challenges, from energy demands to water use.

Through the AI Energy Council, we will be exploring bold, clean energy solutions from next-generation renewables to small modular reactors to ensure our AI ambitions align with the UK’s net zero goals. This builds on the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology’s contribution to make Britain a clean energy superpower by investing in relevant research on clean energy and climate change.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve water infrastructure. \p Emma Hardy: The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 transposed the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) into law in England and Wales and were retained in UK law after EU exit.

In the Government’s response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations, this Government agreed that not enough progress has been made in meeting the Framework’s objective for water quality, to restore water bodies to good ecological status or good ecological potential. This is due to a failure by the previous Government to drive sufficient investment and action over the last 15 years since the first River Basin Management Plans were published.

The Secretary of State has made cleaning up the water environment a priority for Defra and made clear that increased action and investment, and more effective management of the water system as a whole is required.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandating sustainable drainage systems in all new developments. \p Emma Hardy: The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months.

We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increasing SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilize SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

We will review the planning system holistically and consider whether further changes are required to address SuDS when we consult on further planning reform, including national policy related to decision making, in 2025.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring water companies to implement pollution incident reduction plans. \p Emma Hardy: The Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a statutory duty for all water companies in England and Wales to publish annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans. Water companies will be required to use these plans to set out the actions they intend to take to reduce the severity and frequency of pollution incidents.

The Government fully agrees that water companies must implement the actions it sets out in its plans. That is why we are we are requiring water companies to produce an annual implementation report alongside their plan, setting out where they have and have not implemented the measures they planned to implement in the preceding year, and what they plan to do to rectify any similar failures in future.

The Government is clear that failure to act is unacceptable. That is why if a company fails to publish a compliant plan and implementation report by the deadline each year, this will be considered an offence, enforced by the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Chief Executives will be required to approve both the plan and the report and will be personally liable for their publication.

During the passage of the Water (Special Measures) Bill, it was debated whether to include a statutory duty to implement pollution incident reduction plans. The Government does not believe this is appropriate. Doing so could result in companies creating enforceable duties on themselves. This would create confusion for our regulators and could also result in an inadvertent reduction of companies’ ambition.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure affordable water supply for households. \p Emma Hardy: As the independent economic regulator, Ofwat independently scrutinises water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate.

All water companies have measures in place for people who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.

We expect all companies to make sure households are aware of the measures available to them and do everything they can to support their customers. Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.

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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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the average return on capital employed of family-owned farms in (a) England and (b) the UK. \p Daniel Zeichner: Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) for family-owned farms is not available. Data are collected at the commercial farm business level by the Farm Business Survey. The survey does not collect information on whether farms are family-owned so it is not possible to infer any estimate answering this question.
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Alberto Costa:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains, published in Nature Medicine on 3 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of microplastics in UK waters on (a) the environment and (b) public health. \p Emma Hardy: Microplastics have been widely detected in the environment – in the air, soils, rivers, and the seas. We are aware there is still much work to be done to strengthen our understanding of the impacts of microplastics in the water and wider environment. Defra engages with the academic community working in this area and keeps a close observation of emerging evidence of the risks microplastics may pose to the environment.

Under the 2022/23 UK REACH Work Programme, Defra initiated a research proposal to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics. The evidence project has reviewed their emissions, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. It also included a socio-economic assessment. This project is expected to report in early 2025. Defra and the Welsh and Scottish Governments will consider its findings once complete.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in collaboration with Imperial College, is carrying out research and providing evidence to assist the understanding of potential risks from exposure to micro and nano plastics through inhalational and oral routes. The potential impact of microplastic materials on human health has been assessed by the UK Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), who made a number of recommendations for further research. The most recent COT statement was published in 2024. The statements are available here.

The COT concluded that based on the available data a full risk assessment on the toxic effects of inhaled micro and nano plastics could not be carried out. The Committee concurred with the conclusions reached by other bodies, including the World Health Organization, that further research is required. The COT's statement is available here.

The Government is working with the devolved Governments to legislate for the ban on wet wipes containing plastic across the UK. We have been supporting Water UK’s behaviour change campaign to ‘Bin the Wipe’ which encourages consumers to dispose of wipes in the bin, not the toilet. The Government’s message is clear – if you need to use wet wipes, dispose of them in the bin, not the loo. Flushing wet wipes causes a number of environmental and drainage impacts.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, whether his Department is (a) committed to achieve good ecological status for water bodies in England by 2027 and (b) on track to meet the 2027 objectives. \p Emma Hardy: The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 transposed the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) into law in England and Wales and were retained in UK law after EU exit.

In the Government’s response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations, this Government agreed that not enough progress has been made in meeting the Framework’s objective for water quality, to restore water bodies to good ecological status or good ecological potential. This is due to a failure by the previous Government to drive sufficient investment and action over the last 15 years since the first River Basin Management Plans were published.

The Secretary of State has made cleaning up the water environment a priority for Defra and made clear that increased action and investment, and more effective management of the water system as a whole is required.
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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase the accountability of water company executives for water service failures. \p Emma Hardy: The Water (Special Measures) Act will deliver on the Government’s commitment to put water companies under tough special measures, by strengthening regulation as a first legislative step towards improving the sector. The Act will:

Following public consultation, the Government confirmed on 17 December 2024 the introduction of new and increased statutory payment rates, which will ensure that customers get at least double the previous amounts or more when water service standards are not met.

These reforms underscore this Government’s commitment to hold water companies to account for poor performance and to stand up for consumers who receive compromised water services. Water customers around the country will benefit from significantly higher payments to compensate them for water company service failures.
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Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department will publish the consultation on fluorinated gas regulation. \p Emma Hardy: The GB F-gas review is ongoing, and we are in the process of developing proposals for amending the F-gas legislation in Great Britain. We intend to go out to consultation on proposals for reform in due course. Defra officials have ongoing and valued engagement with sector stakeholders as part of the review process and have gathered incredibly useful input.
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Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet with manufacturers from the (a) heating, (b) refrigeration and (c) air conditioning industries to discuss the inclusion of mandatory training for flammable refrigerants in the Government’s consultation on fluorinated gas regulation. \p Emma Hardy: The GB F-gas review is ongoing, and we are in the process of developing proposals for amending the F-gas legislation in Great Britain. We intend to go out to consultation on proposals for reform in due course. Defra officials have ongoing and valued engagement with sector stakeholders as part of the review process and have gathered incredibly useful input. Private office handles all meeting requests. Please contact them directly to request a meeting.
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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 merits of transferring the ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards, in the context of flood protection. \p Emma Hardy: The Government recognises the important work Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) undertake to support farmers and rural communities. IDBs are local independent public bodies and they have permissive powers for managing water levels and reducing flood risk in rural and urban communities. In doing so they work closely with other risk management authorities (RMAs), including highways authorities.

IDBs use a wide range of measures and assets to deliver their work, ensuring it is the right measure in the right place. IDBs can adopt assets from RMAs and other organisations. This will be on a case-by-case basis, and where they do the IDB will consider the benefits and costs, especially for the farmers and local authorities who fund them.
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Tony Vaughan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Southern Water on steps to improve water quality in the South East. \p Emma Hardy: In the first week of office, the Secretary of State and I met water companies’ chief executives, including Southern Water, where they signed up to a tough set of initial measures for reform, including on putting customers and the environment at the heart of their businesses.

I have also met with companies that are failing in their environmental performance and made clear to them that we expect change. I will continue to meet with water companies and their boards, including Southern Water, through 2025 to set out the Government’s expectation of improved performance.

This Government has been clear there is no excuse for poor performance, and we will not look the other way while companies routinely fail to meet agreed standards.

In October 2024, the Secretary of State and the Welsh Government launched an independent commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. These wide-ranging recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers to adapt to (a) flooding, (b) droughts and (c) other impacts of climate change. \p Emma Hardy: Farming and food security are the foundations of a healthy and resilient economy, local community, and environment. That is why we have allocated £5 billion for the farming budget over two years, of which £1.8bn is ringfenced for our Environmental land Management schemes (ELMs) in 25/26. This is the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

We are prioritising direct investment to ELM schemes, which will remain at the centre of our offer for farmers to make our country more sustainable and resilient to climate change, boosting nature and sustainable food production. We already have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

ELMs and Government grant payments create incentives for land managers to adopt sustainable farming practices, which provide benefits for agricultural productivity, biodiversity and resilience to climate events. For example, we are providing funding for farmers to implement natural flood management measures on their land, boosting resilience and supporting flood preparedness. Funding for soil health actions can help reduce the impacts of drought and flooding.

The Government has invested £50 million to internal drainage boards (IDBs) as part of the one-off £75 million IDB Fund to support greater resilience for farmers and rural communities in the long term. The IDB Fund will accelerate IDBs’ recovery from the winter 2023-24 storms and provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets that protect agricultural land and rural communities.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. That’s why we set up a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness ahead of and after the winter flood season.

This Taskforce brings together Defra Ministers and officials with representatives from MHCLG, Home Office, Cabinet Office, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Lead Local Flood Authorities, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union, among others.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued on using (a) nature-based solutions, (b) salt-marshes and (c) mussel-farming to help reduce pollution in estuaries. \p Emma Hardy: Natural England (NE) has been working with partner organisations such as the Environment Agency (EA) on a range of projects using nature-based solutions to deliver restoration of our estuaries, coasts and inshore marine habitats, including developing guidance for how this could best be undertaken.

The Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) initiative led by the EA has published a range of useful guidance reports and restoration handbooks on restoring saltmarsh, seagrass and native oyster habitats in estuaries and coasts. The reports help explain the wider benefits that these nature-based approaches have both for nature recovery and healthy ecosystems. A recent report sets out our current knowledge on natural estuary and coastal flood management.

These guides are supported by maps showing potential locations for restoration. The guides describe the wider benefits to local communities from restoring these habitats, including helping improve water quality.

NE has also published evidence on where restoration would be possible for some of our most threatened and declining marine habitats through the Marine Restoration Potential (MaRePo) and MaRePo+ projects. In the Solent, we are aware of a project where oysters are being used as a nature-based solution to improve water quality. NE and Defra are part of a project which released 2000 oysters in 2024.

There are some studies overseas that look at the use of mussels to help improve marine water quality although we are not aware of published guidance for UK waters.

Defra published guidanceon how nature-based solutions may reduce flooding and provide the additional benefit of improving water quality.

The EA published guidance on innovative permitting to water companies to enourage them to trial innovative wastewater treatment schemes using nature-based solutions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with the Environment Agency to tackle the flow of pollution from the River Teign into (a) bathing waters and (b) high-priority nature sites. \p Emma Hardy: For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water also giving regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action on water companies not delivering for customers and the environment

As part of the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, by 2035, water companies will improve all storm overflows discharging near every designated bathing water, as well as improving overflows

On 12 November 2024, Defra, with the Welsh Government, announced a consultation on potential reforms to The Bathing Water Regulations 2013. We are currently analysing responses to the Consultation and will publish a response in due course.

This year, six additional freshwater sites along the River Teign are being monitored by the Environment Agency for microbiological water quality during the bathing water season. Additional monitoring will also continue at Teignmouth Back Beach following a sewage misconnection to surface water drainage in this area. In addition, Shaldon is a priority bathing water with an Action Plan for 2025

In the next investment cycle (2025-2030) there are plans for investigations to reduce storm overflows and improve permitted discharges, and improvements, including to reduce storm overflows.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Tom Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence his Department is gathering to inform future rainfall assumptions in flood prediction modelling. \p Emma Hardy: The Environment Agency (EA) uses a range of future rainfall assumptions in their flood prediction modelling including consideration for how our weather patterns are changing.

The EA operates a network of approximately 2,400 rain gauges across England, providing daily totals and high-resolution data. The data is shared with the Met Office, and we work closely with them and other partners, to maintain and improve our understanding of future rainfall scenarios. This, and other information, is used to inform how we issue flood warnings to the public.

In the last month the EA has updated their maps showing current and future understanding of flood risk. For the first time this new National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA), includes the latest UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) sharing the potential impact of climate change on flood risk, and shows that the risk from rivers and the sea in England increases by 27% from 2036 to 2069.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of blocked drains on flooding. \p Emma Hardy: The role of any Government is to protect its citizens which is why, under our Plan for Change, a record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years in better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026. Around 1,000 projects will receive funding in 24/25 and 25/26.

Blocked and damaged drainage infrastructure can exacerbate flooding risks. Drain and sewer blockages occur for a number of reasons, including by misuse of the sewer system. Small but significant steps in households, such as not pouring fats and oils down the plughole and not flushing wet wipes or other plastic products down the toilet can help prevent sewer flooding, and in turn mitigate surface water flooding, as well as protect rivers’ water quality.

The Environment Agency has strategic overview for all flood risk in England, however, it is for Lead Local Flood Authorities to develop local interventions to reduce surface water flood risk. Local flood risks should be identified and managed as part of a local flood risk management strategy, in cooperation with local highway authorities, which are responsible for highway and gully maintenance, as well as water and sewerage companies, which have a duty to maintain their sewers, under Section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991, to ensure their areas are effectually drained.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to change pesticide maximum residue level regulations in Great Britain to align with the EU regime still in place in Northern Ireland. \p Emma Hardy: GB operates a pesticides regime based on assimilated EU law and continues to base decisions on the use of pesticides on careful scientific assessment. This includes maximum residue levels, which are set below, and usually well below, the level considered to be safe for people to eat.

Defra keeps the GB pesticides regulatory framework under continued review so that the regime is efficient and effective in ensuring pesticides will not harm human health or pose unacceptable risks to the environment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-25)

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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of Small Modular Reactors on water security. \p Emma Hardy: Sustainable water usage is a crucial factor in the siting of any industry including energy generation by small modular reactors. Cooling options for small modular reactors and their abstraction requirements are still under consideration by the industry and regulators including direct wet cooling.

Small modular reactors are one of the key industrial technologies being considered in the Environment Agency’s planning for water resource security. It has recently commissioned work to help improve the collaboration between the water and energy sectors and is advising the National Energy System Operator on environmental and water resource capacity and opportunities, as part of the development of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.