Written questions by Mayer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency is required to undertake an environmental impact assessment before cutting grass on embankments.

The Environment Agency regularly carries out maintenance works using its permissive powers to manage flood risk. Routine grass cutting, vegetation management and debris clearance on embankments are low-impact but essential preventative maintenance activities for our flood defences - ensuring they remain safe, and to sustain their condition. A full assessment in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations isn’t necessary, however, we carefully assess each maintenance activity for environmental impacts through internal protocols.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the risk of harm to marine mammals from (a) discarded and (b) lost (i) ropes, (ii) fishing lines, (iii) nets and (iv) other fishing equipment.

The Government is committed to taking action to tackle Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) to reduce the risk to all marine life, including marine mammals. We are working domestically to tackle plastic pollution from fishing and aquaculture gear across the full lifecycle and therefore reduce the risks to wildlife. We supported the development of a circular gear design standard under the European standards body, and are working with the administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and industry, to develop UK-wide solutions for the collection and recycling of end-of-life gear. This is a transboundary issue and global action is needed. Internationally, the UK has called for plastic pollution treaty under negotiation to include specific provisions to address harmful forms of plastic pollution, including fishing and aquaculture gear. We believe that measures need to address the full lifecycle of gear, from design to end-of-life management. We are also working with other countries at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to strengthen the requirements under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) on the marking of fishing gear and the reporting of fishing gear losses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Environment Agency has sufficient (a) resource, (b) legal expertise and (c) access to court time to enforce environmental protection laws.

Environment Agency (EA) funding and resource is closely monitored to ensure that the agency can carry out its duties and functions effectively. EA funding is currently being reviewed in line with Defra’s departmental Spending Review process. The EA has specialist legal expertise in the enforcement and prosecution of environmental crime including water company failures. The EA has very recently increased the number of specialist prosecuting lawyers dealing with pollution cases. The EA has exactly the same access to court time as other prosecuting authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to reduce the number of deaths of dogs in greyhound racing.

Defra works with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) to ensure greyhound racing is a safe as possible. Each year since 2018 GBGB has published data for the deaths of greyhounds from GBGB affiliated tracks and trainers. This data is published online at https://www.gbgb.org.uk/welfare-care/injury-and-retirement-data/ Defra monitors the figures published by GBGB for any identifiable trends.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the written statement of 25 February 2025 entitled NFU conference: Boosting farm profitability, HCWS469, what his definition is of high welfare products in the context of Government catering contracts; and what farmed animal species will be covered by this policy.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the Government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts. This includes sourcing products from all farmed animals which have been raised to high UK welfare standards as defined in current animal welfare legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) the size of the egg laying hen population, (b) the number and proportion of egg laying hens that are kept in caged systems and (c) the number and proportion of eggs that come from caged hens.

Defra’s official statistics on livestock populations in the United Kingdom, published in June 2024, state that the total number of egg-laying hens (including breeding birds) was 54.6 million birds. Of these, 41.9 million were laying hens and pullets for table egg production. Defra does not hold published figures on the number of egg-laying hens kept in caged systems, known as enriched ‘colony’ cage systems. However, Defra’s latest statistics indicate that in 2024, the UK Egg Industry produced 2.6 billion eggs for human consumption from hens in enriched ‘colony’ cage systems, accounting for 22% of total UK production.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 6928 on Fish Products: Faroe Islands, when his response to the public consultation on fairer food labelling will be published.

The Government is now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will publish a response to this consultation in due course. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to PQ 6928.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure local authorities have adequate resources to process the anticipated increase in claims following the 2031 cut-off date for recording historic rights of way.

The Government has announced that it will repeal the 2031 cut-off date for the recording of historic rights of way as soon as parliamentary time allows. The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase on 2024-2025. The majority of this funding is not ringfenced in recognition that local authorities themselves are best placed to understand local priorities and allocate funding accordingly.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will outline his Department’s planned timetable for reviewing the funding formula for flood defences.

We will launch a consultation in the coming months which will include a review of the existing flood funding formula to ensure that the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are adequately taken into account when delivering flood protection. Feedback will be sought on the advantages and disadvantages of potential reforms to the flood funding formula.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Flood Re scheme to non-owner occupiers.

The Flood Re scheme allows for insurers to offer discounted premiums to leasehold or landlord owned properties consisting of three or less units where the freeholder/landlord lives in the property. As larger blocks, of four or more units, are classified as a commercial business, the Flood Re scheme does not apply for buildings insurance. Tenants and leaseholders can obtain contents insurance supported by Flood Re, regardless of the size of the block. There are currently no plans to extend the scope of the scheme, however Defra regularly reviews all policies, including eligibility for Flood Re.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a timebound legal duty to end overfishing in UK waters.

The Fisheries Act 2020 contains a commitment to recover stocks to sustainable levels through the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs). We are taking this approach having learned from the well-intentioned but ultimately unachievable single deadline set out in the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy for getting all fish stocks to “Maximum Sustainable Yield” (MSY). Our FMPs allow us to assess the state of the stocks and set out a series of tailored and evidence-based short-, medium- and long-term measures to maintain or restore stocks to MSY.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 79 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which regions will receive funding from the £2.4 billion allocated to the building of flood defences and flood defence maintenance for the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial year; and how much funding was provided to each of region in the 2023-24 financial year.

This Government is investing £2.4 billion over this year and next year to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive government funding for 2025-26 will be consented over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. The breakdown of government investment from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 in £ millions is published online at Flood and coastal erosion risk management report: 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 - GOV.UK. The breakdown from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote (a) safer and (b) environmentally friendly pest control alternatives to rodenticide for (i) residential and (ii) commercial use.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for approving biocidal products such as rodenticides. To ensure that the risks associated with professional use of anticoagulant rodenticides could be properly managed, the UK Government worked with industry stakeholders and a stewardship regime was developed by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK (CRRU) to promote responsible use. This regime is overseen by a Government Oversight Group (GOG), chaired by HSE. The stewardship regime is currently under review and the outcome is expected in 2025. CRRU’s Code of Best Practice promotes a ‘risk hierarchy’ when deciding on a rodent control strategy and this aligns with Defra’s previously published view that anyone seeking to manage wildlife should consider the most humane method of control and apply the least severe solution to control problem animals. CRRU advise there are a range of effective methods for successful rodent management including elimination of harbourage, food and water; and certain forms of trapping. Many methods of rodent control, such as spring traps and live capture and release traps, are inexpensive, reusable and widely available to both the general public and professional pest controllers, whether acting in a residential or commercial setting.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to enhance monitoring of wildlife exposure to (a) rodenticides and (b) other toxic substances; and whether he plans to allocate additional resources to improve (i) reporting and (ii) response mechanisms in relation to wildlife affected by those substances.

The UK Government is investing in enhancing England's capability to monitor for and report on exposure to wildlife of: anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs); legacy contaminants such as metals; and persistent bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals. This has been partly achieved through funding of the “interim H4: Exposure and Adverse Effects of Chemicals on Wildlife in the Environment” indicator under the 25 Year Environment Plan, and Environment Improvement Plan. From a terrestrial perspective, Natural England is a partner and co-funder of the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS), hosted at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Through collaboration with PBMS, Natural England has delivered an annual report on Red Kite exposure to SGARs. Through work with other partners, it has been developing and expanding its work to monitor exposure and adverse effects of chemicals in the terrestrial environment. Defra also provides funding for England’s Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme which determines the underlying cause of death in wildlife where approved use, misuse or illegal use of pesticides or rodenticides is suspected; and the National Wildlife Crime Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crimes involving illegal use of such substances. In each case, budgets for 2025-2026 and beyond have not yet been set.

Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) funding and (b) other support his Department is providing to farmers to transition to more sustainable agricultural practices in (i) East, (b) South West and (c) South East of England.

The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, including £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes in 2025/26. This funding will deliver improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience. Environmental Land Management schemes will remain at the centre of our offer for farmers, with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. These offer funding streams for farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers. We will work with the sector to continue to roll out, improve and evolve these schemes, to make them work for farming and nature.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish its planned timescale for implementing Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) in new developments. We need to see SuDS in more developments; to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits and helping to improve water quality. It is also important to ensure that 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.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support the conservation of endemic tree species.

Genetic conservation is critical to maintaining the genetic pool of England’s native and endemic tree species. This diversity is important for evolutionary adaptation to environmental change. The Millennium Seed Bank, managed by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, safeguards seed from the majority of UK endemic tree species, including all those that reliably produce viable seed. Further collecting is ongoing, with seed and data available to support research, conservation and reintroduction work. Forestry England’s arboreta also currently support ex situ and in situ conservation of endemics from many countries. Alongside this, in September, Westonbirt National Arboretum launched the Global Conservation Consortium for Whitebeams, Rowans, and Service Trees, with initial focus on threatened UK and Irish species.

Food and Rural Affairs, will he make an assessment of the potential impact of the import of (a) soy, (b) palm oil, (c) cocoa and (d) other products on the UK's contribution to tropical deforestation.

UK consumption of soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, rubber and cattle products was associated with 15,363 hectares of deforestation in 2021 of which 11,201 was tropical deforestation. These commodities are estimated to account for 55% of the UK’s tropical and non-tropical deforestation footprint. This Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. We will set out our approach to addressing UK consumption of forest risk commodities in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has for the (a) protection and (b) conservation of hedgehogs following the change to their conservation status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

The Government has no plans to provide additional legal protection to the hedgehog in England. While we are concerned about hedgehogs, there is no evidence to suggest legal protection will address the main causes of decline namely habitat loss, pesticide use and road traffic accidents. However, the Government remains committed to restoring nature and we have wasted no time in announcing a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including reversing declines in our native species, such as hedgehog. Measures such as Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme, Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery Strategies will drive the creation and restoration of habitats, particularly hedgerows, that will benefit the conservation and recovery of hedgehogs as well as a range of other species.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 2.3.2 of the report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, published on 4 September 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendation that on trade rules the Commission should ensure (a) coherence between EU animal welfare standards and (b) that the EU livestock production model and EU Animal Welfare legislation are not undermined.

The Strategic Dialogue of the Future of EU Agriculture provided a mechanism for EU stakeholders to make suggestions to the European Commission to help inform its work shaping its Vision for Agriculture and Food. As this report represents those stakeholder recommendations to the commission, it is too early to say what potential implications it may have on current or future Government policies. This will depend on the positions developed by the Commission in response to the report. The UK and EU have shared ambitions and challenges in our agricultural sectors, including supporting farmers in the context of climate and food security demands, strengthening the position of farmers in supply chains, and exploring innovation and Agri-Tech to support production. The President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. The Government has already committed to seek to negotiate a veterinary/sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU.