Written questions by Griffiths.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered introducing year-round bathing water quality monitoring at designated bathing waters.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current frequency of bathing water testing at designated bathing sites in West Sussex.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with Southern Water on improving bathing water quality at coastal sites in West Sussex.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review how bathing water quality information and sewage discharge data are communicated to the public in real time.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current four-year rolling bathing water classification model.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the condition and remaining operational lifespan of pumping, outfall, and other flood risk management assets for which it is responsible in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency; and what plans are in place to refurbish or replace those assets where required.

Over the last 5 years, the Environment Agency has inspected all the flood risk assets it operates and maintains across the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton area. Each year the Environment Agency delivers an asset reconditioning programme whereby assets rated poor or worse are prioritised for repair or replacement when funding is available. Priority is given to assets that protect the most properties, and assessments are made on decommissioning assets where they no longer provide a flood risk benefit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what watercourse maintenance and channel clearance works the Environment Agency carried out on the Aldingbourne Rife in the last 24 months; and what further works are planned in 2026–27.

The Environment Agency has invested over £735,000 in the past two years on routine vegetation clearance and channel maintenance across the Aldingbourne Rife and connected watercourses. Each May the Environment Agency inspects the channel, followed by machine and hand‑cutting works through summer and autumn as needed. Flood risk assets, including the Bognor Regis sea wall, ramps and flood gates and Felpham Pumping station, are routinely checked throughout the year and debris screens are cleared whenever needed, 24/7, especially before and during rainfall events. This pattern of routine maintenance and operational checks will continue in 2026-2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the enforcement powers available to the Environment Agency to ensure effective oversight of the maintenance of privately owned watercourses in high flood risk areas; and what steps she is taking to review those powers.

Defra has examined the statutory powers and responsibilities for mapping, monitoring, inspecting and maintaining all flood and coastal erosion risk assets, including those owned by third parties. This review which also considered enforcement powers, including under the Water Resources Act 1991, will be published soon. We expect all asset owners, risk management authorities, public and community bodies, private organisations and riparian owners to invest in maintenance and make timely repairs. The Environment Agency has updated its guidance on riparian owners Owning a watercourse.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance the Environment Agency provides to local planning authorities on assessing the cumulative impact of development on surface water flood risk and drainage capacity in low-lying coastal areas.

Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) are the lead authority for managing surface water flooding. LLFAs are statutory consultees on major development, providing expert advice to local planning authorities. The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview for all sources of flooding. In December 2024 the EA published its updated National Assessment of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk in England. This included an updated assessment of surface water flood risk. The EA also supports consideration of surface water flood risk in decision making for new developments through the Flood Map for Planning and Check your long term flood risk services. The EA is supporting implementation of the Government’s new flood and coastal erosion risk management funding policy, which made several improvements to aid investment in managing surface water flooding. The EA has produced guidance explaining how the new policy will work in practice.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much flood risk management funding has been allocated to Environment Agency projects affecting the Aldingbourne Rife catchment in each of the last five financial years; and what funding is planned for each of 2026–27 and 2027–28.

The Environment Agency has invested over £735,000 in the past two years on routine vegetation clearance and channel maintenance across the Aldingbourne Rife and connected watercourses. Each May the Environment Agency inspects the channel, followed by machine and hand‑cutting works through summer and autumn as needed. Flood risk assets, including the Bognor Regis sea wall, ramps and flood gates and Felpham Pumping station, are routinely checked throughout the year and debris screens are cleared whenever needed, 24/7, especially before and during rainfall events. This pattern of routine maintenance and operational checks will continue in 2026-2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, what standards or frameworks are used to assess when ongoing environmental monitoring is required following the release of plastics, foam, or other persistent materials into the marine environment.

The National Contingency Plan (NCP) has been developed to ensure there is a timely, measured and effective response to incidents of, and impact from, marine pollution, arising from both marine and terrestrial sources. The NCP sets out the role of the Environment Group, who provide public health and environmental advice to all response units with a role in responding to a significant maritime pollution incident. The Pollution Response in Emergencies: Marine Impact Assessment and Monitoring group (PREMIAM) is a UK-wide collaborative initiative, coordinated by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), focused on improving post-spill monitoring and response for oil and chemical incidents in the marine environment by developing guidelines, integrating Government agencies, and building a network of experts and service providers. In the event of a significant pollution incident the PREMIAM Monitoring Coordination Cell (PMCC) is stood up. The PMCC is the group responsible for the overall conduct and integrated coordination of monitoring and impact assessment activities following a significant marine incident, ensuring these activities are in line with the PREMIAM post-spill monitoring guidelines. In England the PMCC is chaired by Cefas.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to provide an Answer to Question 25490 tabled by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton on 21 January 2025.

An answer to Question 25490 was published on 24 February 2025. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department offers protection to staff from unfair dismissal from their first working day.

All dismissals are handled in line with current legislation and appropriate Codes of Practice. Where an employee feels they may have been unfairly dismissed, appropriate internal appeal routes may be instigated. Where an employee is unable to solve a problem internally, they may be able to go to an employment tribunal to claim unfair dismissal, as set out in legislation. This position will be reviewed when unfair dismissal rights are updated in line with proposals in the Employment Rights Bill.