Written questions by Ramsay.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83666, how new permanent legal rights of public access will be created through proposals for nine new river walks and three new national forests.

Our nine new river walks and three new national forests will both increase available natural space and make it more accessible. We are progressing plans to deliver nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region, to enhance access to nature and are currently considering several delivery options. Further details will be announced in due course. Our three new national forests in the West of England, the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and the Midlands or North of England, once confirmed, will support delivery of environmental improvement goals including improving access to green space and better connecting people with nature. The Government will set out plans for new national forests in the coming months which will incorporate many factors, including a consideration of new permanent legal rights of access.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on ensuring that the statutory duties of local highway authorities for the public rights of way network are integrated into the Local Government Outcomes Framework.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues. The Government has no plans at this stage to integrate local highway authorities’ statutory duties for public rights of way into the Local Government Outcomes Framework. The Local Government Outcomes Framework will include key national priorities delivered at the local level, so will not have metrics measuring all local authority statutory duties. Local highway authorities have clear statutory responsibilities for managing and maintaining the public rights of way network within their individual areas, including ensuring routes are kept free from obstruction. They are also required to prepare and keep under review a Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which assesses the condition of the network and sets out planned improvements for all users. These plans are published on each authority’s website.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of section 147ZA of the Highways Act 1980 on the rights of disabled people to access the outdoors.

This Government is supportive of the provision within section 147ZA of the 1980 Act that enables an authority to work with landowners and relevant parties to replace or improve existing structures so that they can be used more easily by individuals that may experience mobility challenges. There is currently no national assessment available of the impacts of this provision. However, we will continue to improve access to green and blue spaces, ensuring that it is safe and appropriate for all users, through our various initiatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will include proposals to end the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry, including through the adoption of in-ovo sexing technology in the her Department’s forthcoming animal welfare strategy.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Stockport, PQ UIN 64121.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the Devolved administrations can prevent unlabelled precision-bred seeds and plant reproductive materials marketed in England from entering their supply chains.

Defra is working with the organic sector to prepare for the medium and longer term by discussing non-legislative options for supply chain coexistence. This includes facilitating discussions between experts to establish which measures, currently used by the industry, could be used by farmers to enable coexistence between precision bred and non-precision bred crop production. This is in line with approaches taken internationally. To implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, a new Precision Bred Plant Variety List for England is proposed. Any precision bred agricultural or vegetable plant varieties need to be accepted onto the new variety list before being marketed. Users, including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will be able to access information about precision bred plant varieties in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. Defra are continuing to engage regularly with the Devolved Governments to discuss potential impacts.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to enact (a) a mandatory Precision Bred Variety List for England and (b) mandatory labelling of precision-bred seeds and plant reproductive materials before the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025 come into force.

For the main agricultural and vegetable plant varieties, a variety must be registered on the Great Britain (GB), or Northern Ireland (NI) variety lists before seed can be marketed. To implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, a new, mandatory Precision Bred Plant Variety List for England is proposed to facilitate the evaluation of precision bred agricultural and vegetable plant varieties in England. Feedback from recent public consultation will be used to shape the regulatory framework for precision bred plants and plant reproductive material to ensure it reflects stakeholder concerns and priorities, including the need for clear, and accessible information on precision bred plant varieties. The feedback will inform future decisions on the inclusion of precision bred status in mandatory labelling of precision bred seed and other plant reproductive material.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the certification bodies for (a) organic and (b) conventional non-GMO seeds providers can prevent unlabelled precision-bred seeds and plant reproductive materials marketed in England from entering their supply chains.

Defra is working with the organic sector to prepare for the medium and longer term by discussing non-legislative options for supply chain coexistence. This includes facilitating discussions between experts to establish which measures, currently used by the industry, could be used by farmers to enable coexistence between precision bred and non-precision bred crop production. This is in line with approaches taken internationally. To implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, a new Precision Bred Plant Variety List for England is proposed. Any precision bred agricultural or vegetable plant varieties need to be accepted onto the new variety list before being marketed. Users, including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will be able to access information about precision bred plant varieties in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. Defra are continuing to engage regularly with the Devolved Governments to discuss potential impacts.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on consumer (a) transparency and (b) trust if precision bred seeds and plant reproductive materials are labelled but the food and feed derived from them are not.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels, whether that be mandatory or voluntary, so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. For Precision Breeding, Defra has established additional measures for transparency and regulatory oversight, including public registers. These registers published by Defra and the Food Standards Agency, will ensure that information about precision bred plants approved for marketing and for use in food and feed is available in the public domain.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish in full the (a) modelling and (b) assumptions underpinning her Department's £100 billion estimate of nationalising the water sector.

Defra has estimated the cost of nationalising the water sector to be around £100 billion. We have published in full the assumptions and methodology informing our estimate here: Nationalising the water sector: how we assessed the cost - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to maintain animal welfare standards in the context of negotiations with the EU on a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.

The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. It is too soon to discuss the details of the SPS agreement, which is subject to negotiation. We have been clear with the EU about the importance of establishing arrangements which enable us to maintain high animal welfare standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, when her department intends to respond to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee's report to the Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention on Decision VII/8s, published on 3 October 2025.

The United Kingdom Government recognises the important role played by the Compliance Committee in making recommendations to promote compliance with the Aarhus Convention. The UK is considering the Committee's recommendations in the run up to the Aarhus Convention Meeting of the Parties in November.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Aarhus Convention’s Compliance Committee finding that the UK is non-compliant with the Convention on the Government’s environmental targets.

The United Kingdom Government recognises the important role played by the Compliance Committee in making recommendations to promote compliance with the Aarhus Convention. The UK is considering the Committee's recommendations in the run up to the Aarhus Convention Meeting of the Parties in November.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Climate Change Committee's letter to the Minister for Water and Flooding, dated 15 October 2025, if she will make it her policy to introduce measures before the release of the next National Adaptation Plan to help reduce the impact of weather extremes should global warming levels reach 2 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels by 2050.

Defra is taking forward action on climate adaptation including developing stronger adaptation objectives, improving governance through the cross Government senior officials forum, the Climate Resilience Steering Board, enhancing monitoring and evaluation, and launching a fifth round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power covering key infrastructure. The Department is also supporting research through the £15 million Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change programme. These initiatives aim to improve preparedness and resilience across Government and society. Defra recognises the urgency of preparing for climate change impacts and is committed to strengthening adaptation efforts. The Department is actively implementing the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), which includes activity across twelve departments and measures to improve resilience across sectors. Defra is also working to develop stronger adaptation objectives and delivery plans with these departments ahead of the fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) in 2028 These efforts aim to reduce the risks posed by extreme weather events associated with a 2°C rise in global temperatures. Defra will respond to the advice from the Climate Change Committee letter on 15 October in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Climate Change Committee's letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, entitled advice on the UK’s adaptation objectives, published on 15 October 2025, whether her Department plans to put in additional adaptation before the release of the next National Adaptation Plan in 2028.

Defra is taking forward action on climate adaptation including developing stronger adaptation objectives, improving governance through the cross Government senior officials forum, the Climate Resilience Steering Board, enhancing monitoring and evaluation, and launching a fifth round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power covering key infrastructure. The Department is also supporting research through the £15 million Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change programme. These initiatives aim to improve preparedness and resilience across Government and society. Defra recognises the urgency of preparing for climate change impacts and is committed to strengthening adaptation efforts. The Department is actively implementing the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), which includes activity across twelve departments and measures to improve resilience across sectors. Defra is also working to develop stronger adaptation objectives and delivery plans with these departments ahead of the fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) in 2028 These efforts aim to reduce the risks posed by extreme weather events associated with a 2°C rise in global temperatures. Defra will respond to the advice from the Climate Change Committee letter on 15 October in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department to ensure the humane slaughter of farmed fish.

Since publication of the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing a GB-wide joint government-industry working group on farmed trout has been examining the issues raised in the report. This co-design work has made good progress on exploring potential options for more detailed welfare at killing requirements. We are now exploring all the potential next steps, including options for creating detailed guidance and new legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce species-specific slaughter legislation for farmed fish.

Since publication of the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing a GB-wide joint government-industry working group on farmed trout has been examining the issues raised in the report. This co-design work has made good progress on exploring potential options for more detailed welfare at killing requirements. We are now exploring all the potential next steps, including options for creating detailed guidance and new legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Waveney Valley of 21 July 2025, Official Report, col 579, on what evidential basis his Department has estimated the cost of bringing water companies into public ownership.

Defra has estimated that nationalising the water industry would cost approximately £100 billion. This is based on the sector’s Regulatory Capital Value (RCV), which was £99.3 billion in 2024 and £106.7 billion in 2025. It reflects the cost of purchasing equity in all water companies as well as the cost of assuming their existing debt liabilities. For more information on the approach taken by Defra to reach its estimate, please see: Nationalising the water sector: how we assessed the cost - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of capital spending on flooding will be allocated to (a) hard infrastructure and (b) nature-based solutions.

At the Spending Review on 11 June the Government announced a record £4.2 billion investment over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive government funding will be agreed in the usual way, on an annual basis, through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. Future flood investment schemes will also be subject to our currently open consultation on proposals to reform the way we fund flood and coastal defences. This new approach will make it easier to invest in natural flood management schemes that also boost nature, water resources and fight climate change.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the (a) Landscape Recovery and (b) Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship schemes will be re-opened for applications.

A) The Government reconfirmed its commitment to Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes in the recent Spending Review.  Landscape Recovery projects that were awarded funding in rounds one and two are continuing, and we are moving into the delivery phase with the first round of projects. Plans for a third round of Landscape Recovery will be confirmed in due course. B) Defra is rolling out the improved Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme this year. We have invited farmers and land managers to begin the pre-application process. There will be opportunities for other farmers and land managers to access CSHT in the future. More details on the timing and approach to widening applications will be published later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing a consultation on banning farrowing crates.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield, PQ UIN 41698.