Written questions by Rosindell.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to prevent the illegal importation of rhino horns.

The UK has strict border controls in place to detect and prevent illegal imports. In 2022, Border Force seized two separate imports of rhino horn originating from China and South Africa. The UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit also plays a critical role in preventing wildlife crime, including through intelligence work, threat analysis, and by directly assisting law enforcement. Through our Biodiverse Landscape Fund we are working directly with partner Governments in the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, including rhino poaching. We are also investing £30 million between 2022 and 2025 to tackle IWT globally, including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent the practice of badger baiting and associated illegal activities.

The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provide protection against certain methods of killing, injuring, or taking of badgers, or interference with their setts. Badger persecution is one of seven UK Wildlife Crime Priorities, and a UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group is in place. This is police-led and comprises a range of members (including Defra) meeting regularly to tackle horrific offences such as badger baiting, which is rightly illegal in this country.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the conservation of red squirrels.

This Government is committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species and delivering our legally binding biodiversity targets on species abundance, species extinction and habitat creation and restoration, which will benefit many of our priority native species including red squirrels. The leading causes of red squirrel decline in England include the squirrel pox virus, habitat availability and competition from non-native grey squirrels. We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of grey squirrels on our woodlands and red squirrel populations and shall have an update in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support (a) wildlife sanctuaries and (b) nature reserves in Essex.

Essex has a total of 64 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, nine Special Protection Areas and seven National Nature Reserves, the majority of which protect the rich coastal habitats of the Essex estuaries. These include some of the country’s most important places for wildlife, particularly for large populations of over wintering wildfowl and wading birds. Working with farmers and landowners, Natural England plays an important role in ensuring these places continue to protect rare and special species. Along with many other organisations, Natural England is also working closely with Essex County Council to help create a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. This important plan will set out where we can best enhance natural habitats, which can also be enjoyed by the people of Essex.

Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department is providing to Rainham Marshes.

Rainham Marshes is designated as part of the Inner Thames Marshes Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) of particular importance for breeding birds, wintering waders and wildfowl. The site also supports several priority habitats. There is currently a five-year Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement in place with the RSPB on Rainham Marshes. The agreement works towards maintaining favourable condition of the SSSI. Its objective is to maintain and enhance the wet grassland habitat for breeding and non-breeding birds and undertake management for other priority species. Natural England provides advice to RSPB as managers of the SSSI.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the guidance entitled Bluetongue movement licences and designated slaughterhouses, last updated on 15 November 2023, what further steps he plans to take to tackle bluetongue.

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. Disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the east coast and some inland areas in England. As disease controls have developed, advice on movement licences and designated slaughterhouses has been regularly updated to reflect changes to controls and permitted movements, for example advice on applying for licences to move animals from the RZ to slaughter and breeding markets outside the zone: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluetongue-movement-licences-and-designated-slaughterhouses Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency continue surveillance and epidemiological assessments, remaining vigilant for any changes, and are working closely with key industry stakeholders to review how we approach controls for BTV-3 for the coming winter months, in 2025 and beyond.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to support Havering Council to enhance (a) the River Rom's environmental health, (b) maintenance of river-based infrastructure and (c) development of projects aimed at increasing the River Rom as a community resource.

The Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill is the first important step in enabling wide, transformative change across the water sector, reducing pollution and cleaning up our waterways. The Government has also launched an Independent Commission into the water sector regulatory system, anticipated to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. The Environment Agency (EA) is working collaboratively with partners within the Roding, Beam, and Ingrebourne Catchment Partnership to deliver environmental improvement projects that enhance the water quality and biodiversity of the River Rom. The EA has been working with Thames Water’s Surface Water Outfall Programme and the local authority to identify and sort out misconnected properties that are discharging untreated effluent into the River Rom. AMP7, the seventh Asset Management Period planned by the UK water industry, runs from 2020 – 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were fined for not microchipping their (a) cats and (b) dogs in each year since 2016.

The Ministry of Justice currently collects and publishes data relating to the offence of not microchipping your dog in England and Wales. The relevant offence code is 11126 and the latest data is available here: As the compulsory microchipping of cats was only introduced in England in June 2024, these figures will relate to dogs only at this stage.

Food and Rural Affairs, what meetings (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with animal welfare charities to discuss (i) puppy and cat smuggling and (ii) a ban of electronic shock collars for dogs since 5 July 2024.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto we will end puppy smuggling. We will also be considering available evidence around the use of hand-controlled e-collars and their effects on the welfare of animals. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments. Ministers will continue to meet with animal welfare charities to discuss their views on a range of issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Thames Path to Essex along the Thames Estuary.

There are no plans to extend the Thames Path National Trail to Essex along the Thames Estuary at this time.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency on closures to parts of the Thames Path.

No such discussions have taken place.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward the start date of the proposed bottle deposit and return scheme.

This Government is committed to creating a circular economy that: uses our resources as efficiently and productively as possible, minimises environmental impacts, accelerates our progress on Net Zero, supports economic growth, and creates new jobs. This Government is also committed to delivering the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in October 2027, as agreed with the devolved Governments of the UK, and in accordance with the Joint Policy Statement published in April 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to visit Woburn Safari Park to see the new-born Eastern Mountain Bongo.

Defra ministers have no plans to visit Woburn Safari Park but we congratulate Woburn Safari Park on the birth of one of the most critically endangered animals on the planet, an Eastern Mountain bongo calf and the work they are doing to protect this beautiful species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the population of the bluebird species in England in the last 10 years.

Bluebirds are native to North America and not the UK. As such we have made no assessment of the implications of our policies on populations of this group of species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle biodiversity loss in the London Borough of Havering.

This Government is committed to tackling biodiversity loss. We have set targets on species abundance, species extinction and habitat creation and restoration through the Environment Act. These targets will drive actions to support biodiversity in Havering and every other local authority area across England. Government has launched a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) to ensure it fully supports our mission to recover nature. We will publish a summary of findings in early 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP in Spring 2025. Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are being prepared across the whole of England to support delivery of the biodiversity targets. The Greater London Authority is preparing a strategy which covers the Havering constituency, with support from the local planning authorities in the area, including Havering Borough Council.

Food and Rural Affairs, for how many hours raw sewage was discharged into the River Ravensbourne in the London Borough of Havering in the first nine months of 2024.

There are no Combined Sewer Overflows or Sewage Treatment Works on the River Ravensbourne, meaning that no raw sewage has been discharged into the river from these types of assets. However, the Environment Agency (EA) is aware of the issue of potential misconnections resulting in pollution discharges from private residences within the Ravensbourne area. Its area team will be investigating this matter further. Thames Water provide data on storm overflow discharges data on storm overflow discharges in near real time on their website for their assets. The EA will publish the 2024 Event Duration Monitoring data, showing how long and how often storm overflows have been used, in March 2025. The data for previous years is available here. The Government’s Water (Special Measures) Bill will require independent event duration monitoring of all sewage outlets, to support greater scrutiny of water company activity.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of placing restrictions on the movement of dogs from countries that are endemic for diseases that are not considered endemic in the UK.

The Government takes biosecurity very seriously. Disease risk is monitored carefully and is kept under constant review. Where necessary we have the powers in legislation to introduce preventive health measures to protect animal or public health by controlling diseases or infections that are likely to be spread due to the movement of pet animals into Great Britain. We continue to monitor and consider any further actions as appropriate.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle cases of bluetongue virus in farm animals.

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the east coast and some inland areas in England. Movement restrictions are in place to prevent the movement of potentially infected susceptible animals (ruminants and camelids) and germinal products transporting disease to new locations outside the zone (premises that have confirmed positive cases or are suspected to have BTV-3 are restricted from moving their animals freely at this time). Some animals were humanely culled to prevent establishment at the outset and infected animals in cases found in free areas outside the restricted zone have also been humanely culled. Defra has also permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3 in England. The vaccines are now in the country and available for vets to prescribe. Defra and APHA continue surveillance of susceptible animals and epidemiological assessments, remaining vigilant for any changes, and will continue to work closely with key industry stakeholders to respond to developments and ensure keepers have the information they need.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to work with relevant bodies to (a) assess and (b) improve the quality of tap water in Romford constituency.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has a statutory duty to monitor water companies’ compliance with the regulations in place in England to protect drinking water quality, and to take enforcement action where necessary. To ensure we continue to maintain our world-leading water quality standards, water companies carry out regular risk assessments and sampling to make sure that drinking water supplies remain safe. This includes Essex and Suffolk Water who serve the Romford Constituency. Work is continuing across Defra and the Drinking Water Inspectorate to consider potential updates to the drinking water regulations to safeguard current high drinking water standards and ensure the regulations remain fit for purpose. This includes working with a range of external experts to inform and develop Government’s thinking on these matters.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the illegal smuggling of cats into the UK.

The Government is committed to introducing the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.  We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next steps in due course.