Written questions by Rosindell.

Food and Rural Affairs, what statutory instruments will be required to align UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary standards with those of the EU.

We have agreed a commitment for the UK to dynamically align with the EU on specific SPS rules. Operating under the same regulatory framework will facilitate the removal of unnecessary barriers to trade. The UK and the EU are partners with similarly high standards for agrifood products. The exact mechanism for agreeing and implementing new EU rules is subject to further negotiations, but there will be a role for Parliament. We look forward to bringing forward legislation to provide Parliament with an important opportunity to scrutinise new arrangements and to have its say.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve navigation assets along the non-tidal Thames.

The Environment Agency (EA) maintains its non-tidal Thames Navigation assets through the combination of a capital investment programme to deliver major refurbishment projects, and a revenue maintenance programme which sustains the safe day-day operations of these assets. During 2025/26 the EA are investing £16.3 million on the highest priority lock refurbishment projects to benefit their Navigation customers and will support the vital retention of the River Thames water resource through the refurbishment of specific weirs. The EA’s future investment programme has identified approximately £18 million of investment need over the next 5 years to progress more lock and weir refurbishments. This programme also focuses on the operational reliability of the Navigation assets and is planning to upgrade 22 lock operation systems, which are the main source of temporary lock breakdowns. The EA will bid for the identified funding as part of the government’s spending review process.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to include (a) blue carbon habitats and (b) seabed sediments as designated features within existing Marine Protected Areas as part of the upcoming Marine Protected Area network review.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) protect a variety of habitats as designated features, including those that play a role in carbon capture and storage, such as maerl beds, saltmarsh and seagrass meadows. The MPA network review aims to identify approaches to improve climate change resilience across designated sites in English seas, including those protecting carbon-storing seabed sediments (e.g. sublittoral mud in North East of Farnes Deep Marine Conservation Zone).

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Overseas Territories on the Darwin Plus programme.

In November 2024, Minister Doughty and Minister McCarthy met with the elected leaders and representatives of the Overseas Territories at the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council. The UK Government confirmed that it would continue to work in partnership with the Territories to support the protection of their unique environments and to help address biodiversity loss and noted their strong support for the continuation of Darwin Plus. As set out in our previous answers to UIN 61101 and UIN 63667, Defra will be finalising plans to fund new Darwin Plus projects with applicants this summer. Whilst decisions have yet to be made on the totality of future funding available to Darwin Plus following the department’s multi-year funding commitment from HM Treasury, the department will engage closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency and support continuity wherever possible. The department will provide updates in the usual way as soon as they are available.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timeline is for decisions on the future of Darwin Plus funding.

In November 2024, Minister Doughty and Minister McCarthy met with the elected leaders and representatives of the Overseas Territories at the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council. The UK Government confirmed that it would continue to work in partnership with the Territories to support the protection of their unique environments and to help address biodiversity loss and noted their strong support for the continuation of Darwin Plus. As set out in our previous answers to UIN 61101 and UIN 63667, Defra will be finalising plans to fund new Darwin Plus projects with applicants this summer. Whilst decisions have yet to be made on the totality of future funding available to Darwin Plus following the department’s multi-year funding commitment from HM Treasury, the department will engage closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency and support continuity wherever possible. The department will provide updates in the usual way as soon as they are available.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to maintain funding for the Darwin Plus programme.

In November 2024, Minister Doughty and Minister McCarthy met with the elected leaders and representatives of the Overseas Territories at the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council. The UK Government confirmed that it would continue to work in partnership with the Territories to support the protection of their unique environments and to help address biodiversity loss and noted their strong support for the continuation of Darwin Plus. As set out in our previous answers to UIN 61101 and UIN 63667, Defra will be finalising plans to fund new Darwin Plus projects with applicants this summer. Whilst decisions have yet to be made on the totality of future funding available to Darwin Plus following the department’s multi-year funding commitment from HM Treasury, the department will engage closely with stakeholders to ensure transparency and support continuity wherever possible. The department will provide updates in the usual way as soon as they are available.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered reforming the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals Regulations 2018 to introduce a tiered system that distinguishes between (a) low and (b) high volume breeders.

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 require anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period to hold a valid licence. Defra has completed a post-implementation review of the Regulations which can be found here. The Government is considering the findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered developing a national mentoring scheme pairing experienced dog breeders with first-time breeders to help promote (a) high welfare and (b) informed practices.

The Government’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs provides advice to owners thinking of breeding from their dogs and a list of sources of further information they can access. The Code can be found here: Code of practice for the welfare of dogs - GOV.UK. Owners considering breeding from their dogs can also access sector best practice such as the Canine and Feline Sector Group’s Code of Practice for Dog Breeding or advice published by the Royal Kennel Club.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage the use of a standardised puppy contract scheme, in the context of the one promoted by The Kennel Club.

The statutory guidance that supports our dog breeding licensing scheme in England mandates the use of a puppy contract by high star-rated dog breeders. The contract was co-developed by key sector organisations and can be found here: The Puppy Contract - for responsible puppy breeding and buying.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to work with local authorities to reduce instances of fly-tipping.

Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties, including local authorities, to share good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. The NFTPG has developed various practical tools including guides on how councils and others can present robust cases to court, set up and run effective local partnerships to tackle fly-tipping and raise awareness of the household and business waste duty of care. These are available at: https://nftpg.com/ The Government encourages councils to make good use of their enforcement powers, and we are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. We have also announced a review of council powers to seize and crush the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support banana-producing countries affected by the UK’s pesticide regulations; and whether his Department will help such countries identify sustainable alternatives to Mancozeb.

The decision to withdraw the use of the fungicide mancozeb in Great Britain does not immediately affect banana-producing countries. The UK Government recognises the importance that bilateral trade between the UK and banana-producing countries plays, in boosting growth and ensuring regional stability. The UK is open to discussing the concerns of our trade partners. The UK also supports international efforts to reduce the use of the most hazardous pesticides and promote the use of sustainable alternatives, through mechanisms such as the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC). The GFC is a multistakeholder framework which, amongst other things, encourages the transition to safer alternatives and sustainable approaches.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the sale of illegal glue traps.

The Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 bans glue trap use in England in all but the most exceptional, licensable circumstances. It came into force in 2024. Nothing in the law prevents sale of glue traps in England. However, only pest controllers with a licence can legally use them for rodent control. Widespread media coverage in 2022 and 2024 alerted businesses to the change in legislation in England and on-going stakeholder engagement has helped ensure pest controllers acting for businesses are cognisant of the situation. The British Independent Retailers Association has also published advice for retailers to prevent glue traps from being sold for illegal use and we know of market-leading suppliers and retailers having withdrawn them from sale.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54689 on Dangerous Dogs: Social Rented Housing, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of being denied permission to take up residency by housing providers on people with legally exempted XL Bully dogs.

Defra undertook an impact assessment when developing legislation to ban XL Bully dogs. This assessment recognised that some housing providers would not allow owners to keep XL bullies. It is for the housing provider to decide their own policies on whether they permit tenants to keep exempted banned breed types.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has provided funding for research into the (a) development and (b) trial of multi-site fungicide alternatives to mancozeb that are viable for tropical fruit exporters in Latin America.

Defra has not provided funding for research into the development and trial of multi-site fungicide alternatives to mancozeb that are viable for tropical fruit exporters in Latin America.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of banning mancozeb by the end of 2025 on the (a) socio-economy and (b) security of the UK's trading partners.

Pesticide Active substance approvals are only granted following careful scientific assessment of risks to people, animals and the environment. We do not consider economic benefits of use. Mancozeb no longer meets GB approval criteria as regards to endocrine disrupting properties, non-dietary risks to human health and exposure risk to operators. Food treated with mancozeb can continue to be placed on the GB market provided it meets our Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs).

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54689 on Dangerous Dogs: Social Rented Housing, if he will provide additional guidance to the owners of XL Bully dogs who have exempted the dog but are denied the right to keep it in social housing.

It is for the housing provider to decide their own policies on whether they permit tenants to keep exempted banned breed types. Owners of XL Bullies can contact their housing provider if they have queries about their policy in relation to exempted dogs.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support the Thames Chase Community Forest.

England's Community Forests are delivering the multi-million-pound national Trees for Climate programme, playing a significant part in the national Government's commitment to address climate change and carbon mitigation through tree planting and woodland creation. We are supporting England’s Community Forests through the provision of funding to create woodland in areas of social and canopy deprivation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to convene a cross-sectoral task force to develop a pathway to crate-free farrowing for the pig industry.

The use of farrowing crates and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which the Department is currently considering very carefully. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports farmers to improve animal health and welfare through a series of co-designed incentives, and the Department will continue to work across all relevant sectors to encourage improvements in pig welfare.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to re-issue guidance to local authorities on requests from owners who have exempted their XL Bully dogs to keep their pets in social housing.

Guidance on the ban on XL Bullies is available on GOV.UK In relation to keeping XL Bully dogs in social housing, or other rented accommodation, it is for the housing provider to decide their own policies on whether they permit tenants to keep exempted banned breed types.

Food, and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with relevant authorities to prevent heat-related deaths of farm animals in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation whether on-farm, during transport or at slaughter, with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 making it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide the welfare needs of the animal. It is the responsibility of livestock keepers and authorised transporters to have contingency plans in place to ensure their animals' welfare in extreme weather, including advice on checking on animals more regularly and ensuring all animals have easy access to water on a daily basis, and not transporting animals in temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius. We also publish advice on GOV.UK specifically for keepers: Keeping farm animals and horses in extreme weather Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) also closely monitors weather forecasts and issues guidance to all authorised transporters on key actions that can be taken when transporting animals to help mitigate the impact of extreme temperatures.