Written questions by Jogee.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2025 to Question 45551, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including (a) Portsmouth Urban Area, (b) Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, (c) Sheffield Urban Area, (d) The Potteries and (e) Tyneside in the 2024 National Compliance Assessment.

Portsmouth Urban Area, Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, Sheffield Urban Area, The Potteries and Tyneside are all included in the 2024 national air quality compliance assessment. The national assessment is based on a combination of monitoring and modelling which has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 for formally assessing compliance with air quality limits.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of aligning the UK's PM2.5 air quality targets with the World Health Organisation’s 2021 guidelines.

The revised Environmental Improvement Plan is due to include further details on the PM2.5 air quality targets set under the Environment Act 2021. The World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines will continue to inform our evidence when considering future targets.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing a heat strategy.

The National Adaptation Programme, published in 2023, sets out in a single document the programme of actions that government is taking to address climate risk, including on overheating.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Government’s approach to climate adaptation.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Ministers and officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are working with departments on the issue of climate adaptation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether closer co-operation on chemical regulations was discussed at the UK-EU Summit on 18 May 2025.

Co-operation with the EU on chemical regulations is provided for under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the registration dates for industry under UK REACH.

We are aware of stakeholder concerns about the feasibility of these dates and will provide further information in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to include discussions on the future co-operation on chemical regulations in the annual UK-EU summits.

Co-operation with the EU on chemical regulations is provided for under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department had with the Paymaster General regarding UK-EU trade and environmental standards prior to the UK-EU summit in London on 18 May 2025.

Ministerial colleagues have had and maintain regular discussions with the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments on UK-EU trade and environmental standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the consultation on the UK REACH Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm) for chemicals.

Defra will set out its approach to chemicals regulation in due course. This will include explaining what approach is being taken towards the UK REACH alternative transitional registration model (ATRm), which was subject to public consultation in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish his Department's strategy for (a) the chemicals industry and (b) chemicals management.

The Chemicals industry is noted as a key foundational sector within the Industrial Strategy which helps underpin almost all other manufacturing sectors, including priority sectors such as Advanced Manufacturing. Delivery of a Chemicals Strategy to establish a regulatory approach and priorities for the sustainable use of chemicals was a commitment included in the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023. Defra’s future approach to chemicals management will be set out in the revised EIP, which will be published later in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to support the natural regeneration of trees in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

Across England, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier does provide grant support for natural regeneration (including WD2 and WS2) in line with a UK Forestry Standard approved Woodland Management Plan. These grants are demand led, which means that the Forestry Commission welcomes applicants for sites that meet the criteria from any constituency. In addition to supporting natural regeneration of woodland within existing woodlands through Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier there is grant support for natural colonisation (woodland expansion through natural processes) through the England Woodland Creation Offer. We do not collate this information at constituency or county level.

Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons wildfire warning signs have been installed on English moorland.

The decision to install signage has been made at a local level by Moors for the Future Partnership and Peak District National Park Authority.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to tackle livestock worrying in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

This Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers. The Government is supporting a Private Members’ Bill which will amend and update the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. The Bill will modernise definitions and scope, strengthen police powers and increase the maximum penalty from a fine of £1,000 to an “unlimited” fine to act as a deterrent. The legislation will apply to England and Wales.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to update the Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain.

The Government published new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain on 24 May 2025. The Standards will come into force from May 2027 and will replace the current 2012 Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. The new Standards reflect the latest in best practice for keeping wild animals in zoos and aquariums.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent engagement he has had with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Defra Animal Welfare Minister, periodically meets with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). Most recently the Minister met both the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) at a visit to Chester Zoo on 22 May 2025, ahead of the launch of the new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain and also hosted an Animal Welfare Strategy development roundtable, which BIAZA attended. Defra officials also have regular meetings with BIAZA.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of updates to the Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain on animal welfare standards at zoos.

The Government published new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain on 24 May 2025. The Standards will come into force from May 2027 and will replace the current 2012 Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. The new Standards reflect the latest in best practice for keeping wild animals in zoos and aquariums.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to improve standards for kept animals.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more details on this in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had the Secretary of State for Education on the provision of green skills for a circular economy.

This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from industry, academia, and civil society, to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The strategy will map our transition to a circular economy, supported by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis. The importance of green jobs is evidenced by the UK’s existing circular industries delivering £67 billion to the economy, growing from £44 billion in 2008.This is an annual real growth rate of around 2.9%, more than double the 1.2% growth rate of the wider UK economy over this period. Existing UK circular industries provide 827,300 jobs, as of 2022. Defra recognises that fostering green skills is a fundamental tenet of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to deliver on strengthening our current green workforce as well as developing the new green skills we will need for the future. We will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy as we develop the strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on developing a UK Chemicals Strategy.

The Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 included the commitment to publish a UK Chemicals Strategy. The EIP has been under review and a revised EIP will be published in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Government’s approach to managing chemicals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) industry, (b) NGOs and (c) other stakeholders on the future of UK REACH.

This Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. We regularly engage with a range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, NGOs, academic organisations and other Government departments, in order to seek their input, harness their expertise and provide updates of Defra policy developments.