Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew George this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 35 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with a) international environmental governance bodies, including the United Nations Environment Programme, and b) other countries on regulating
Defra is committed to our obligations under international environmental agreements and, as a global scientific leader on chemicals management, will use science diplomacy and expertise to influence global environment policy. The UK is actively working with...
Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department plans to update the UK’s water quality monitoring frameworks to ensure that persistent pollutants, including PFAS chemicals and microplastics, are monitored across al
The Government is committed to ensuring the UK’s water quality monitoring frameworks are fit for purpose; improving environmental protection by setting clear and enforceable standards for water quality and ecological health. Through the Clean Water Bill, ...
Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department is advocating for strengthened international regulation of persistent pollutants, including PFAS chemicals and microplastics, on the international stage.
Defra is committed to our obligations under international environmental agreements and, as a global scientific leader on chemicals management, will use science diplomacy and expertise to influence global environment policy. The UK is actively working with...
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with a) port and harbour authorities, b) fishers, and c) producers on free disposal facilities for end-of-life fishing gear waste in ports and h
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been assessed, including through a study commissioned by Defra and the devolved governments, available here, which indicated EPR could be a complex and costly intervention. Defra officials have previously engaged...
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate funding is made available for local initiatives which support the responsible disposal and recycling of discarded fishing gear.
The Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) is a grant scheme in England that supports more sustainable fishing and seafood businesses, including potential support for recycling end of life fishing gear. Through FaSS, Defra funded KIMO UK’s Fishing for Litter...
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for fishing gear.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been assessed, including through a study commissioned by Defra and the devolved governments, available here, which indicated EPR could be a complex and costly intervention. Defra officials have previously engaged...
Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government will publish the findings of its consultation on a proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West, PQ UIN 122785.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the risk of increased imports of lower-welfare eggs following domestic reforms to housing systems for laying hens.
I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 18 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend for PQ UIN 120331.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that any ban on caged systems for laying hens is accompanied by equivalent trade measures which prevent the import of eggs and egg product
I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 18 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend for PQ UIN 120331.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking across procurement policy, food service, and manufacturing supply chains to ensure that improved domestic welfare standards are not undermined by th
The National Procurement Policy Statement, published in February, underscores the Government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises ...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to introduce measures to prevent the import of eggs, liquid eggs and powdered eggs produced in systems which are banned in the UK.
I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 18 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend for PQ UIN 120331.
Food and Rural Affairs, what support will be made available from Government to support a transition away from enriched cages.
Under the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, eligible poultry keepers have had access to capital grants to support transitioning from enriched cages. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant, which closed to applications on 28 April, provides f...
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps will be taken to ensure that imports of eggs, liquid eggs and powdered eggs meet UK animal welfare standards, in the context of any phase-out of caged systems domestically.
I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 18 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend for PQ UIN 120331.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether further supported welfare improvements for laying hens will be incorporated into the UK Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.
Under the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, eligible poultry keepers have had access to capital grants to improve welfare in laying hens. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which closed its final round on 12 May, offered grants up to £25,000 for ...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether free and independent recourse is available to customers when water companies classify customer disputes as legal enforcement matters.
Customers who have unresolved disputes are advised to contact The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) who has the statutory function to help customers resolve complaints against their water company or retailer, as well as providing free advice and support. Government has also committed to introduce a new Water Ombudsman. The ombudsman will provide an independent service to investigate and resolve complaints for customers. The ombudsman will be free to use and make impartial and binding decisions based on what is fair and will work with the regulator and CCW to drive improvements in the sector.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the automatic compensation South West Water has announced for customers affected by Storm Goretti is funded from the company’s profits and reductions in executive bonuses; and whether she will require this compensation funding to be independently audited to ensure full transparency and compliance.
Customers affected by Storm Goretti will receive payments under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS). These payments come from a company's current operating expenditure and are not paid for through a future increase in customer bills. The standards, outlined in the GSS, set out a baseline for customer service in the water sector. They include providing timely restoration of water supply following an interruption, responding to written complaints and managing the risk of sewer flooding. Ofwat has previously published summaries of the GSS framework on its website (see here and here). Companies report on GSS payments in their Annual Performance Reports and submit these figures to Ofwat. These reports are independently audited, and Ofwat uses them to inform its work.
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with South West Water on the adequacy of its communication strategy during recent service disruptions, including whether she will ask the company to issue a formal statement committing to a revised strategy which prioritises customer impact.
The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. SEMD includes a legal requirement for companies to have “appropriate emergency communication facilities and procedures for managing and maintaining communications and support to customers throughout an emergency”. Defra expects water companies to respond rapidly and on a 24/7 basis through a range of communication methods (including, but not limited to, telephone, email, and social media). We also expect companies to plan for individual channels being unavailable, for example during power or telecoms failures, and that companies should adapt their communications plans in response to customer feedback or local priorities as incidents evolve. Defra Ministers met with senior officials from South West Water over the past weekend to discuss the company’s response to the supply disruption following Storm Goretti. The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, regulates water company performance on SEMD. Their review of the company’s response to Storm Goretti will include examination of South West Water’s compliance with the communication requirements of SEMD.
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with utility companies on directing customers to online information during service disruptions; and what steps she will take to ensure that essential information is provided through communication channels which remain functional during emergencies.
The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency. SEMD includes a legal requirement for companies to have “appropriate emergency communication facilities and procedures for managing and maintaining communications and support to customers throughout an emergency”. Defra expects water companies to respond rapidly and on a 24/7 basis through a range of communication methods (including, but not limited to, telephone, email, and social media). We also expect companies to plan for individual channels being unavailable, for example during power or telecoms failures, and that companies should adapt their communications plans in response to customer feedback or local priorities as incidents evolve. Defra Ministers met with senior officials from South West Water over the past weekend to discuss the company’s response to the supply disruption following Storm Goretti. The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, regulates water company performance on SEMD. Their review of the company’s response to Storm Goretti will include examination of South West Water’s compliance with the communication requirements of SEMD.
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with counterparts in (a) Austria, (b) Sweden, (c) Switzerland, (d) Norway, (e) Germany, and (f) New Zealand on their (i) banning and (ii) phasing out of farrowing crates for pigs; and what assessment she has made of the outcomes of those bans on (A) sow welfare, (B) piglet mortality, (C) farming sector viability, (D) farm-level adaptation, and (E) regulatory enforcement.
We have regular engagement with counterparts in other countries on farmed animal welfare issues, including on cages and other close confinement systems.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a ban on farrowing crates on pig production capacity.
We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of farrowing crates for pigs is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully, including impacts on the pig industry.