Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Mayer this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 122 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the breeding of cats for physical characteristics associated with adverse health outcomes.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Spen Valley on 19 March 2026 to PQ UIN 121027.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether Natural England has enacted byelaws under Section 28R of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the (a) protection and (b) management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Natural England has not enacted any byelaws under section 28R since the provision’s introduction in 2001. A set of Model SSSI Byelaws for this purpose was agreed with Defra in 2020 and was published by Natural England at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/natural-england/byelaws-for-sssis/.
Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the extent to which fly-tipping incidents occur on or adjacent to woodland habitat on (a) council-owned land, (b) footpaths and bridleways, and (c) other land types.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs, what powers public authorities have to restrict vehicular access to Sites of Special Scientific Interest that span multiple land ownerships where ecological damage is taking place.
All public bodies have a statutory duty to take reasonable steps to further the conservation and enhancement of the special features of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), including where an SSSI spans multiple landownerships. Natural England (NE) works with all relevant parties to ensure appropriate protection is in place. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides the main framework for protecting SSSIs. It controls operations likely to damage an SSSI’s special features and includes enforcement powers to stop harmful activities, including those involving vehicles. Any owner or occupier of land on a SSSI who wishes to carry out, or permit others to carry out, an activity likely to damage an SSSI, must obtain consent from NE. Failing to do so is an offence in the absence of a reasonable excuse. NE has various powers in such circumstances, including a power to issue enforcement notices, and require restoration. These consent procedures provide NE with powers to restrict or regulate vehicular access to SSSIs where ecological damage has occurred or is at risk. In addition, section 28R of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 enables NE to make byelaws for the protection of SSSIs, which could include restricting vehicular entry.
Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the extent to which large-scale fly-tipping incidents, including transit van loads, tipper lorry loads, and significant or multiple-load incidents, have occurred on woodland habitat.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs, what powers public authorities have to restrict vehicular access to Sites of Special Scientific Interest where ecological damage has been, or is being, wilfully caused.
All public bodies have a statutory duty to take reasonable steps to further the conservation and enhancement of the special features of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), including where an SSSI spans multiple landownerships. Natural England (NE) works with all relevant parties to ensure appropriate protection is in place. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides the main framework for protecting SSSIs. It controls operations likely to damage an SSSI’s special features and includes enforcement powers to stop harmful activities, including those involving vehicles. Any owner or occupier of land on a SSSI who wishes to carry out, or permit others to carry out, an activity likely to damage an SSSI, must obtain consent from NE. Failing to do so is an offence in the absence of a reasonable excuse. NE has various powers in such circumstances, including a power to issue enforcement notices, and require restoration. These consent procedures provide NE with powers to restrict or regulate vehicular access to SSSIs where ecological damage has occurred or is at risk. In addition, section 28R of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 enables NE to make byelaws for the protection of SSSIs, which could include restricting vehicular entry.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency records information on habitat type or proximity to woodland when investigating fly-tipping and illegal waste dumping incidents.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many recorded incidents of fly-tipping in each of the last five years took place in or adjacent to areas designated as (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Protection Areas and (c) Special Areas of Conservation.
Fly-tipping (or the illegal dumping of waste) should generally be reported to the relevant local authority wherever it occurs (see guidance at https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping). Local authorities and the Environment Agency have existing powers to require landowners to clear fly-tipped waste from their land. With regard to statutory protected sites ie (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Protection Areas and (c) Special Areas of Conservation, Natural England would be dependent on direct observations or reports shared from other public bodies or other stakeholders. Please note that all non-marine Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation will be underpinned by Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England may be more likely to be informed about incidents within protected sites than adjacent to. The numbers of ‘dumping cases’* recorded by Natural England from the last five years are shown in the table below: YearNo. Dumping cases2018-22102022-2332023-2402024-256 This is based on Natural England’s casework tracker and published enforcement reports, which does not easily enable cases to be listed separately by protected site type. These cases will relate to Sites of Special Scientific Interest. * Natural England does not explicitly record fly tipping but it is recorded within a ‘Dumping’ category which could also include land owners using sites to store waste.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether local authorities are required to record the habitat type affected by each reported fly-tipping incident.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department and its arm’s-length bodies hold on the number of recorded fly-tipping incidents in England in 2023–24 that occurred on or adjacent to woodland.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to improve the collection of data on the environmental impacts of fly-tipping on habitats.
Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents to Defra, which are published annually here. Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is currently being processed. Local authorities are required to report to Defra the size of a fly-tipping incident, its waste type and the land-type where it occurred. However, this does not cover if the area is a particular habitat or a woodland.Defra regularly evaluates the data on fly-tipping incidents we collect from local authorities. There are no current plans to require local authorities to report additional data on fly-tipping to Defra. While the Environment Agency (EA) collects data on the land type at the location of an illegal dumping incident and its environmental impact, the EA does not routinely collect data on whether it is a woodland area or the specific habitat type.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published on 22 December 2025, what her Department's planned timetable is for launching the consultation on dog breeding.
The Government is committed to ending puppy farming and the low welfare breeding of dogs. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government has committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. Next steps will be announced in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by the Forestry Commission in each of the last ten years.
Felling licences refused 2016 to 2025: 20162017201820192020202120222023202420250000100000
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Tree Planting Taskforce's progress; and what involvement that Taskforce has had in the development of the Tree Action Plan.
The UK-wide Tree Planting Taskforce brings together the relevant ministers from across the four UK nations. It has made good progress, enabling cross-UK collaboration and furthered understanding of shared challenges and opportunities. Given the UK-wide nature of the Taskforce, it is not directly involved in the development of the Trees Action Plan for England, although Defra is engaging with relevant delivery partners and arm’s-length bodies on the Action Plan. We will continue to engage with the Taskforce to identify opportunities for cross-UK working.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many felling licences were granted by the Forestry Commission in England in each of the last 10 years.
Felling licences issued 2016 to 2025: 20162017201820192020202120222023202420253621389423253002290131873190332634373499
Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Tree Action Plan will support the restoration of ancient woodland, particularly on smaller plantations on ancient woodland sites and harder to restore sites.
The Government will continue to support the restoration of ancient woodland. Woodlands as small as 0.5ha are now eligible for the Countryside Stewardship supplements “Manage and restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWs)” and “Manage native woodland including Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands”, ensuring support is available to landowners and managers of smaller ancient woodlands. In 2025, we also updated our Countryside Stewardship offer by simplifying our baseline Woodland Improvement grant. These steps will help to bring more of our smaller ancient woodlands into restoration and management.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by the Forestry Commission due to the potential impact of felling on ancient woodland remnants within plantations on ancient woodland sites in each of the last ten years.
The Forestry Commission has only refused one felling licence in the past 10 years, in 2020. The reason for refusal was based on the fact that the licence would lead to a loss of woodland containing veteran and future veteran oaks and the felling of these would be against the "interests of good forestry …and the amenities of the district" and would not align with UK Forestry Standard.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) licensing shoots and (b) making the penalty for using snares the loss of such a licence.
Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver its commitment to ban the use of snares in England and will be setting out next steps in due course. The use of snares is commonly associated with gamebird shooting. Defra has not yet made any formal assessment of the potential merits of licensing gamebird shooting in England or whether to make the penalty for illegally using snares the loss of such a licence.
Food and Rural Affairs, how she plans to enforce the ban on snares.
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. This was recently reaffirmed in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy. Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course. The detail of the enforcement of the ban will depend on the nature of the legislation that is ultimately progressed.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of afforestation on hydrology in the Oxford–Cambridge Forest region.
As part of our approach to the New National Forest in the OxCam region -spatial data will be used to prioritise sites for woodland creation that will deliver public benefits such as flood management and mitigation as well as other water management functions. Afforestation projects above 0.5 hectares will also likely require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which will include a detailed assessment of potential impacts on the water environment. Further details on this new national forest will be announced in the coming months.