Written questions by Dance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure greater transparency in fertiliser and red diesel supply chains.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of pollution in the rivers (a) Yeo and (b) Parrett.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities into farming.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Ukraine's implementation of improvements to animal welfare standards for livestock, including a ban on battery cages.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to raise public (a) awareness and (b) understanding of lawful and responsible trail riding.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that all users of the countryside understand how to access and enjoy it lawfully and responsibly. Public access, including for horse riders, is supported by the Countryside Code, which promotes responsible enjoyment of the outdoors, respect for others and protection of the natural environment. This includes keeping to permitted routes, leaving gates as found, and minimising damage to paths and surrounding land.At a local level, highway authorities also play an important role in raising awareness of lawful and responsible use. They are responsible for managing and maintaining public rights of way, including keeping them free from obstruction, and for producing Rights of Way Improvement Plans (ROWIPs), which assess needs and set out planned improvements. The Government encourages riders to engage with their local authority and review their area’s ROWIP to understand planned improvements and raise concerns about bridleway connectivity and condition.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 119646 on Air Pollution: Yeovil, what progress the Government has made on the actions for commitment 22 of the 2025 Environmental Improvement Plan, to update health advice accompanying the Daily Air Quality Index and launch a new air quality alert system.

The Government is taking forward work to improve how air quality information is communicated to the public. Health advice accompanying the Daily Air Quality Index was updated in November 2025, ensuring the advice is clinically accurate, clearer, and easier for the public to understand. Alongside this, the Government is continuing work to improve digital systems and air quality alerts, to ensure that information is timely, accessible, and presented in a clear and user‑friendly way. A new alerts service will be incrementally released over the course of the next five months.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 119646 on Air Pollution: Yeovil, what assessment she has made of whether updating health advice, in the absence of changes to the Daily Air Quality Index thresholds, is sufficient to ensure that air quality information accurately communicates risks to public health.

The Air Quality Information System Review found that clearer, more targeted health and behavioural advice, particularly for people most at risk, could support actions to reduce exposure and manage health impacts. Alongside the updated health advice, the Government is progressing delivery of the Review’s wider recommendations, including work to improve digital communications and alert systems, and considering how the Daily Air Quality Index can be updated.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a working group to implement agri-food standards for food imports.

Defra regularly engages with industry on trade issues. This Government recognises concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK. As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. The Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, this Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the Government’s disposal to protect the UK’s most sensitive sectors including permanent quotas, exclusions, and safeguards.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect the egg market in Yeovil constituency from the potential impact of rising imports of eggs from countries with lower production standards.

The UK imports a small proportion of its annual supply of eggs to meet domestic demand. The Government consistently considers the impact of imports from all countries on the UK domestic egg sector. The Government will continue to take account of UK imports as part of our continued monitoring of the egg production chain. Along with the continued monitoring of egg quality of both domestic and imported eggs against the Egg Marketing Standards by our Egg Marketing Inspectors in the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the introduction of a Good Food Bill to help reduce (a) food costs and (b) increase domestic food production.

Defra is working across Government and the food system to consider the best way to drive the Good Food Cycle, and other Government priorities, over this Parliament. Transforming the food system is a long-term programme of work. The Government neesd to use all available tools in a balanced, evidence-led way that avoids unintended consequences for industry and the consumer. The Government has not yet made any decisions on the format of any future publication, or if there is a need for legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of food inflation on residents in Yeovil constituency.

Food and drink prices showed an annual rate of inflation of 3.3% in the year to February 2026, in the most recently published inflation figures for the UK, released by the Office for National Statistics. This is a decrease from 3.6% in January 2026. General inflation in the UK was 3.0% in February 2026, unchanged from January 2026. The ONS does not breakdown inflation figures at constituency level.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the annual cost to local authorities of clearing fly tipping in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) other rural areas.

No estimate is available for the annual cost of clearing fly tipping in the Yeovil constituency or other rural areas. Total clearance costs for all fly-tipping incidents are not available. Defra only publish cost data for clearance costs for ‘tipper lorry load’ and ‘significant/multi load’ incident categories, which are reported directly by local authorities. This information is available in the local authority level dataset: Fly-tipping statistics for England - GOV.UK This cost data is available at local authority, regional and national levels, but not at constituency level.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with counterparts in the European Union on whether British residents will continue to be able to use existing EU-issued pet passports after 22 April 2026.

Pets leaving Great Britain must comply with the relevant requirements as determined by the country of destination. The Government always advises pet owners to consult with the relevant authorities in the country of destination if any pet travel requirements for movements from Great Britain are unclear. The Government understands that updated EU rules governing the non‑commercial movement of pets into the EU are scheduled to come into force on 22 April 2026. The EU has yet to publish guidance on how its updated rules will be applied and any relevant transitional arrangements. The Government is actively working to confirm the details of the new requirements with the EU and will update the guidance to pet owners on the relevant documentary requirements once the EU have confirmed its position.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the scheme for Withdrawal of Certificates of Exemption for Dogs Wrongly Registered as XL Bullies will be (a) finalised and (b) implemented.

The Government is continuing to develop a withdrawal scheme so that owners who no longer believe that their dog is an XL Bully type can apply to have their certificate of exemption withdrawn.The Government does not have a definitive timeline for when this process will be available. Officials are working diligently to develop the withdrawal scheme as soon as possible and further details will be shared once finalised.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of producing a horticulture strategy.

The Government is committed to the horticulture sector and its role in providing fresh, home‑grown produce that helps feed the nation. The sector’s needs are being addressed through steps we are taking to support increased domestic production. Building on this work, the Secretary of State has announced the Farming & Food Partnership Board to oversee a series of sector growth plans, the first of which will focus on horticulture. This approach is aimed at boosting productivity and profitability, reducing costs and opening new markets in ways that support health and environmental goals, with the first plan focused on the horticulture sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with representatives from the farming community on access to health food in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the South West.

Defra Minister’s and officials meet with a range of stakeholders based on policy need.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the entirety of the report on Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security.

The Nature security assessment was published on GOV.UK on 20 January. It is a cross-government strategic analysis designed to help the Government plan for potential shocks that are credible enough to warrant preparation. This approach ensures the UK is better equipped to anticipate and manage risks should they arise. Publishing the assessment also supports international cooperation on shared biodiversity challenges.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline in native wild birds in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) the British Isles.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds. At a local level, Defra has supported Somerset Council in preparing its Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which also covers the Yeovil constituency. Publication is expected shortly. The strategy will set out priorities for nature recovery and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will benefit many species including native wild birds. Nationally, government action to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, alongside projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will further support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environmental Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan. This plan aims to improve coordination, and drive the effective delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to increase the proportion of livestock in the UK that are pre-stunned before slaughter.

Regulations require that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to the requirement to stun is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. For sheep and goats, the Government supports an industry-led initiative called the Demonstration of Life Protocol, which provides assurance for Muslim consumers that the stunning of these animals is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved and supporting opportunities for trade.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the level of damage done by Storm Chandra in Yeovil constituency.

Storm Chandra brought heavy rain to the UK on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 January. This was felt especially by parts of the South and South West previously affected by Storm Ingrid, with the rain falling on already saturated ground, leading to 3 Severe Flood Warnings being issued. Across Somerset, around 50 properties have been reported as flooded, with rivers responding rapidly to recent rainfall and ground conditions remaining saturated. Flood warnings and alerts remain in force, and further rain is expected. This Government recognises the terrible impact flooding has on householders and businesses, both in terms of physical damage, disruptions to daily activities and impacts on health, including mental health. Those affected should contact their insurance companies as quickly as possible. Affected householders should ask their insurance provider if they will be eligible for Build Back Better within their claim, which can provide for flood resilient repairs over and above the cost for like-for-like reinstatement of actual flood damage that would. With localised flooding incidents, local authorities have well-established contingency arrangements in place to support their local communities. Local authorities also have discretionary powers to fund grants, loans, or other payments for home improvements. In severe weather events with widespread impacts, local authorities may receive central support to help reopen affected community spaces through the Flood Recovery Framework, however funding is typically deployed where there is large scale and widespread flooding.Further information can be found here:Check your current and long-term risk here Check the long term flood risk for an area in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk);Look at the advice on preparing for flooding at Prepare for flooding: Protect yourself from future flooding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk); andSign up to receive any flood alerts and flood warnings for your local area here Check for flooding in England - GOV.UK (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk)