Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Snowden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 141–160 of 202 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, what the projected allocation of the £5 billion farming budget is for farmers in Lancashire between 2024 and 2026.
The farming budget is not ring fenced according to area but will depend on which schemes and grants farmers have agreements for and/or apply for.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure that the re-opening of capital grants in summer 2025 is (a) accessible and (b) equitable to (i) smaller farms and (ii) new entrants.
Defra will introduce maximum grant thresholds for 4 groups of capital items in the standalone capital offer, from summer 2025. The limits will be: £25,000 for items in the water quality, air quality, and natural flood management groups£35,000 for the group including boundary, tree and orchard items These limits increase funding availability for smaller applications. All farmers/land managers are able to apply for the funding later in the Summer of 2025, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria which will be set out in the guidance.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support businesses affected by the drought announced on 29 May 2025.
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Defra requires water companies to have robust plans to manage droughts and protect customer supplies. This includes early actions such as enhanced leakage management, appropriate balancing of supplies, and effective communications to enable customers to use water wisely.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, which (a) stakeholder groups and (b) representative farming organisations his Department has consulted on the development of the future Sustainable Farming Incentive offer.
Defra is working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, the Tenant Farmers Association, the Nature Friendly Farming Network, the Agricultural Industries Confederation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, National Trust and the Green Alliance and a further group of 30 industry stakeholders, to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced later in the summer.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, how much and what proportion of the £5 billion of funding in the farming budget will be allocated to support for farmers in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire in the next two years.
The budget for 2025/26 is £2.4 billion. Spending on farming in future financial years will be confirmed as part of the government’s spending review. The farming budget is not ring fenced according to area but will depend on which schemes and grants farmers have agreements for and/or apply for.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, when his Department plans to publish detailed (a) eligibility criteria and (b) payment rates for the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive offer following the 2025 spending review.
We expect to publish more information about the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive offer in summer 2025.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support households impacted by drought.
Defra requires water companies to have robust plans to manage droughts and protect customer supplies. This includes early actions such as enhanced leakage management, appropriate balancing of supplies, and effective communications to enable customers to use water wisely. In the event of temporary use bans, known as hosepipe bans, being required, Defra expect water companies to protect vulnerable customers and include exceptions for certain customers groups including those on the priority services register or blue badge holders. Water companies must set out exceptions in their drought plans and should demonstrate how they will balance the need for water savings against adverse effects on customers. Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) check water companies follow these plans appropriately when activated. Water companies must undertake an annual drought health check. During the current drier conditions, more frequent reporting is required, including through the national drought group and sub-groups convened by Defra and the EA. This helps drive active monitoring and early action to protect households from drought risks. Defra requires water companies, through water resources management plans, to increase drought resilience and ensure resilience to 1 in 500 year drought events by 2040 without the need for emergency drought orders, including standpipes.
Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans his Department has should drought conditions (a) persist and (b) worsen.
Water companies must show how they provide a secure supply of water to their customers and protect the environment during dry weather and droughts through their statutory drought plans. A drought plan is an operational plan that sets out what actions a water company will take as a drought worsens.Both Defra and the Environment Agency operate an incident response structure that they use to manage a drought.Emergency measures such as the need for water restrictions through standpipes and rota cuts are included in water companies’ emergency plans. Local authorities take a lead role in local resilience.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many confirmed cases of HPAI H5N1 have been reported in (a) Fylde, (b) Lancashire and (c) England since the start of the outbreak in November 2024.
As of 18 May 2025, there have been 57 cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in England since the start of the outbreak in November. There have been no confirmed cases of HPAI H5N1 in Fylde or Lancashire since the start of the outbreak
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support farmers in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire impacted by avian flu.
There have been no confirmed cases of HPAI H5N1 in Fylde or Lancashire since the start of the outbreak. Following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds in the UK, Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) together with the Devolved Governments and their delivery agencies have stood up their well-established outbreak structures to control and eradicate disease, restore normal trade, and assist local communities’ recovery. Defra’s disease control measures seek to contain the number of animals that need to be culled, either for disease control purposes or to safeguard animal welfare. Our approach aims to reduce adverse impacts on the rural and wider economy, the public, rural communities and the environment (including impact on wildlife), whilst protecting public health and minimising the overall cost of any outbreak. In response to the unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza in October 2022 Defra’s approach to compensation was updated to involve earlier assessment of the number of healthy birds and swifter calculation of compensation. This allows Defra to provide earlier certainty about entitlement to compensation; better reflects the impact of outbreaks on premises; and leads to swifter payments to help stem any cash flow pressures for producers directly affected.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of avian influenza on poultry producers in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire since 2022.
There have been no confirmed cases of HPAI H5N1 in Fylde or Lancashire since the start of the outbreak. Following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds in the UK, Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) together with the Devolved Governments and their delivery agencies have stood up their well-established outbreak structures to control and eradicate disease, restore normal trade, and assist local communities’ recovery. Defra’s disease control measures seek to contain the number of animals that need to be culled, either for disease control purposes or to safeguard animal welfare. Our approach aims to reduce adverse impacts on the rural and wider economy, the public, rural communities and the environment (including impact on wildlife), whilst protecting public health and minimising the overall cost of any outbreak. In response to the unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza in October 2022 Defra’s approach to compensation was updated to involve earlier assessment of the number of healthy birds and swifter calculation of compensation. This allows Defra to provide earlier certainty about entitlement to compensation; better reflects the impact of outbreaks on premises; and leads to swifter payments to help stem any cash flow pressures for producers directly affected.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of surveillance measures in (a) detecting and (b) controlling outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leads Government action on animal disease control and carries out routine surveillance of disease risks in the UK and globally, to help the Government anticipate future threats to animal health. Defra continue to closely monitor the global avian influenza situation as part of this work and any changes to our approach to prevention and control of avian influenza will be based on the latest available veterinary advice and scientific evidence. All bird keepers should continue to observe the high standards of biosecurity that can help prevent the incursion and spread of disease. Current policy reflects our experience of responding to past outbreaks of exotic animal disease and is in line with international standards of best practice for disease control. Our approach to surveillance and control is assessed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as part of our application for HPAI disease freedom, which remains Defra’s objective to achieve at the earliest opportunity. Defra’s approach to avian influenza disease control are proportionate and in line with EU (in relation to trade requirements) and national law. Our aim is to limit the spread and the economic impact of this disease on the industry.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's news story entitled Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England, updated on 22 May 2025, what criteria were used to determine the lifting of mandatory housing measures for (a) poultry and (b) captive birds.
During periods of increased risk of avian influenza Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity, with or without mandatory housing, are utilised to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring. The risk of avian influenza remains heightened and AIPZs remain in force across Great Britain. However, following a reduction in risk levels the mandatory AIPZ housing measures which have been in force across the highest risk areas of England were lifted from 00:01 on 22 May 2025. However, mandatory housing of all poultry and other captive birds is still a legal requirement within any Protection Zone or Captive Bird Monitoring Controlled Zone in force surrounding an infected premises where avian influenza has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds. The need for an AIPZ is kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza, and measures are introduced in a phased and escalating manner proportionate to risk in an area. Any decisions on when to introduce or amend AIPZs including the addition or removal of mandatory housing measures either on a regional or national basis are based on risk assessments, which are published on gov.uk and contain the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice. Housing measures are intended to reduce the risk that poultry and other captive birds will come into contact either directly or indirectly with wild birds which may be infected with avian influenza. When utilised, the enhanced biosecurity measures including housing mandated by an AIPZ have been vital in protecting flocks across the country from avian influenza.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to reintroduce housing measures should avian influenza risk levels increase.
During periods of increased risk of avian influenza Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity, with or without mandatory housing, are utilised to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring. The risk of avian influenza remains heightened and AIPZs remain in force across Great Britain. However, following a reduction in risk levels the mandatory AIPZ housing measures which have been in force across the highest risk areas of England were lifted from 00:01 on 22 May 2025. However, mandatory housing of all poultry and other captive birds is still a legal requirement within any Protection Zone or Captive Bird Monitoring Controlled Zone in force surrounding an infected premises where avian influenza has been confirmed in poultry or other captive birds. The need for an AIPZ is kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza, and measures are introduced in a phased and escalating manner proportionate to risk in an area. Any decisions on when to introduce or amend AIPZs including the addition or removal of mandatory housing measures either on a regional or national basis are based on risk assessments, which are published on gov.uk and contain the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice. Housing measures are intended to reduce the risk that poultry and other captive birds will come into contact either directly or indirectly with wild birds which may be infected with avian influenza. When utilised, the enhanced biosecurity measures including housing mandated by an AIPZ have been vital in protecting flocks across the country from avian influenza.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of drought on the economy of the North West; and what steps he is taking to help mitigate that impact.
We are taking action to mitigate the impacts by:Working closely with the water companies to ensure that they implement their statutory drought plans. We expect water companies to be undertaking extra leakage activity and enhanced communications with their customers to use less water.We have convened the National Drought Group which includes senior decision-makers from across Government and principal drought stakeholders. It provides a cross-sector strategic steer on drought management in EnglandPublishing irrigation forecasts for the agricultural sector and providing advice to farmers and growers so they can assess and plan their water needs this summer.Working with fishery owners to ensure plans are in place to manage dry weather.
Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department is providing to farmers and agricultural businesses in (a) Fylde, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West impacted by the drought conditions.
The Environment Agency (EA) in the North West is meeting regularly with the National Farmers Union, in relation to the water situation (most recently last week). The EA released an updated Area Irrigation Prospect Report to inform the agriculture community of the current water resources situation to help farmers plan their water needs for the summer. The prospects for water resources irrigation availability in Cumbria and Lancashire are currently moderate, meaning controls on abstractions are possible. Abstractors must operate in accordance with licence conditions issued, an important mechanism to protect water rights. There are currently no concerns regarding irrigation from groundwater. Defra recognises the need to support water resources resilience of the agricultural sector. Government have funded Water Resources West to help create Water Abstractor Groups (WAG), which work collaboratively to find water resources solutions. The government are funding Local Resource Option screening studies, with the latest funding launched on 4 June, supporting farmers to collaborate on water resources resilience. Studies will assess shared options such as multi-farm reservoirs, water trading, or rainwater harvesting for the farmer groups, enabling future delivery.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to engage with local communities impacted by drought.
The Environment Agency (EA) has been working to ensure that United Utilities follows its drought plan, as agreed by Defra Secretary of State, including its communications with the public / customers and ensuring the company engaged with local partners via Local Resilience Forums. The EA has contacted all the MPs in Cumbria and Lancashire on two occasions. The first on 13 May 2025 gave an initial update about the prolonged dry weather and MPs were advised on the actions the EA were taking. The EA updated MPs on 30 May 2025 to advise that the northwest was now in drought status. The EA has put out regular messages on social media to provide updates of the current drought situation. The EA has also carried out media interviews and provided statements to the press for any questions they had. Last week the EA issued a press release which was uploaded to gov.uk about the current dry weather / drought situation. The EA has been in regular liaison with the NFU, Canal & Rivers Trust and Fishery owners to gather intelligence on impacts, provide advice and guidance and confirm approach to regulation of licensed abstractions.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 50256 on Farms: Lancashire, what (a) criteria and (b) priorities his Department will use to guide the reopening of the Capital Grants in summer 2025.
The improved Environmental Land Management standalone Capital Grants scheme will introduce maximum thresholds to ensure funding goes further. This will provide better value for money and ensure funding goes on the right environmental projects. The limits will be:£25,000 for items in the water quality, air quality, and natural flood management groups£35,000 for the group including boundary, tree and orchard items The priorities of the Capital Grants scheme will be to focus on projects that help the environment, for example, planting hedges or improving natural flood management.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 38171 on Farmers: Lancashire, what steps his Department has taken to ensure support from the Farming Recovery Fund reaches the most vulnerable farmers (a) quickly and (b) effectively.
Environment Agency and Met Office data was used to identify which farm businesses will receive the Farming Recovery Fund recovery payment. This data on river flooding and exceptional rainfall allows us to determine affected land and make payments directly to eligible farms. By focusing on those with the most significant impacts, this approach ensures the payment contributes to uninsured costs resulting from the extreme wet weather.There was no need for farmers to submit an application or claim form. This straightforward process meant payments could be made quickly—usually within 28 days of receiving a letter or email from the RPA — without further evidence or confirmation of eligibility.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, what steps his Department plans to take to evaluate the effectiveness of measures to deter waste crime.
The Resources and Waste Policy Programme Evaluation is running to 2027 and is designed to help Defra understand what has and has not been successful about the design and delivery of objectives and commitments within the policy programme, including waste crime. Link to Impact Evaluation Baseline Report.