Written questions by Gelderd.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) bans on offshore bottom-towed gear on displacement of fishing to inshore grounds and (b) that displacement on (i) small-scale and (ii) inshore fishers in South East Cornwall constituency.

It is likely that fishing activity will be displaced as a result of the management of our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), but there are many uncertainties. Decisions on the extent of restrictions on bottom trawling in offshore MPAs will be made following the closure of the consultation that opened on 9 June.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in countries with tropical forests on steps to prevent forest fires since 5 July 2024.

The UK is determined to ensure action to protect and restore tropical forests is an international priority ahead of COP30 in Brazil in November 2025. Wildfires are a focus of the Canadian G7 Presidency in 2025 and the UK supports regional and international efforts to deepen collaboration to prevent forest fires.The UK participated in a meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Fire Management Hub in mid-June to discuss research findings and practical areas of cooperation to prevent forest fires. The UK is also co-chairing the Forests and Climate Leaders' Partnership with Guyana, where wildfires were discussed at a meeting in May, ahead of COP30 in Brazil.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the (a) protection and (b) recognition of the rights of (i) indigenous peoples and (ii) local communities’ rights in relation to COP30 in Belem.

We recognise the global contribution Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) make to climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and inclusive and sustainable development, and support global efforts to recognise and advance their contribution.At COP26, the UK led international efforts to strengthen IPLC forest tenure, launching the IPLC Land and Forest Tenure Pledge to mobilise $1.7 billion in support of IPLC efforts by the end of 2025. This funding has supported legal reforms or land titling processes within several countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Through its own commitments, the UK has increased direct support to IPLC organisations, including backing the Tenure Facility's work in the Amazon. We are working with international partners and IPLC groups through the Forest and Climate Leaders' Partnership to shape a new pledge for COP30.Complementing these joint initiatives, the UK is directly supporting IPLC efforts through bilateral programmes including the Amazon Catalyst for Forest Communities, the Global Land Governance Programme and Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme. All of these include a focus on strengthening IPLC rights. The UK is advocating for IPLC to have a greater voice in climate finance notably with IPLC-led mechanisms in the Climate Investment Funds and Global Environment Fund.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent forest fires in tropical forest biomes.

Wildfires were responsible for record-breaking levels of tropical forest loss in 2024, as highlighted in a recent World Resources Institute (WRI) report (https://gfr.wri.org/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends). Rising temperatures and environmental degradation are increasing the likelihood, severity and frequency of wildfires globally.Protecting and restoring tropical forest biomes makes them more resistant to damaging wildfires. The UK is supporting delivery of the shared commitment to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. We are working with partners to protect, restore, and sustainably manage tropical forest biomes, as well as supporting deeper collaboration to prevent wildfires through the G7 and the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Fire Management Hub.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many vessels registered to ports in South East Cornwall constituency use (a) bottom trawls and (b) other bottom towed gear.

UK fishing vessels are registered by port of administration. The nearest port of administration to this constituency is Plymouth, to which 330 fishing vessels were registered as of 1 June 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on protecting (a) global forests and (b) the rights of (i) indigenous peoples and (ii) local communities.

The UK strongly supports global efforts to protect forests, including advocating for the international commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, while supporting livelihoods and economic development. We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. In 2022, UK consumption was associated with 35.6 thousand hectares of deforestation globally. We are considering the critical guardianship provided by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in protecting forests as well as the importance of safeguarding customary tenure rights in developing our approach, which we will set out in due course. In October 2024, at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, I launched the Principles for Inclusive, Gender-Responsive and Locally-Led Biodiversity Action. These were developed by Defra in collaboration with global stakeholders to guide governments, donors, NGOs, and others in supporting biodiversity efforts that are inclusive, locally-led, and gender-responsive.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce speeding (a) on small rural roads and (b) through village centres.

The Government’s THINK! campaign aims to change attitudes and behaviours among a primary audience of young men aged 17-24 who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads than those over 25. From January - March 2025, THINK! ran a speeding campaign highlighting the risks of driving too fast for the conditions on rural roads, circumstances that contribute to high numbers of young driver casualties. The campaign featured advertising in cinemas, radio, digital audio and gaming environments, as well as working with content creators and influential platforms to tackle speeding via voices the young audience trust.Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances. It is for local authorities to decide where reduced speed limits will be effective on the roads they manage, and consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process.

What funding is available to local authorities to improve road safety in villages.

The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. To this end, my Department is developing its Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.The Department for Transport makes highways and local transport funding available to local transport authorities, who decide how to use the funding to support local priorities. Local authorities have the responsibility of making decisions about the roads under their care, based on their knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and considerations. This includes setting local speed limits and introducing traffic calming measures.Local authorities are best placed to decide on delivery of road safety initiatives, because of their knowledge of the roads for which they are responsible. We aid local authorities by providing guidance and initiatives such as our flagship road safety campaign, THINK!

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of fly-tipping incidents in South East Cornwall constituency.

Fly-tipping is a serious crime which blights local communities and the environment, and we appreciate the difficulty and cost that it poses to landowners. Local councils are usually best placed to tackle fly-tipping in their areas, and they have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution action. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are taking steps to develop new enforcement guidance. We have also announced a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help them make better use of this tool. In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course. In the meantime, Defra continue to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities and the National Farmers Union, to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping, including on private land. Various practical tools are available from their webpage which is available here.

What steps her Department is taking to support the use of banking hubs as venues for financial education aimed at improving women’s (a) financial literacy and (b) independence.

Banking hubs are a voluntary service which were developed by the financial services sector in the context of legislation to protect access to cash under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. Their rollout is overseen by Cash Access UK (CAUK), a not-for-profit company set up and funded by the banks for the purpose of coordinating banking hub delivery.The Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 160 are already open.Where a branch closure is announced or a community has submitted a cash access assessment request, LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, assesses a community’s access to cash needs. LINK will recommend appropriate solutions where it considers that a community requires additional cash services, such as a banking hub or deposit service.   The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules require LINK to consider a range of factors in their assessments, such as population demographics and levels of vulnerability within the community.The Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals have the financial capability to manage their money well and recognises that certain groups – such as women – may face specific barriers to financial literacy and inclusion. The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is supported by the Government to provide a wide range of tools and guidance to help people manage money confidently at every stage of life. Furthermore, by making Financial Education and Capability a focus within the Financial Inclusion Strategy, the Government aims to address these barriers and ensure that women, as well as other groups who face barriers, are better equipped to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve digital connectivity in (a) rural and (b) coastal communities.

We recognise that poor internet access can pose significant challenges for rural and coastal communities. The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit broadband. We now expect this target to be reached by 2032. The government also wants all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.Through Project Gigabit, government is delivering fast, reliable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans.4G geographic coverage from at least one mobile operator has now reached over 95% of the UK landmass due to the Shared Rural Network, and we continue to work with the industry to deliver 4G mobile connectivity to places where there is limited or no coverage.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of broadband access on the economic development of rural communities.

Digital infrastructure is a powerful driver of economic growth and development. The telecoms services industry contributed around 2.5% to UK real GVA in 2023, up from 0.3% in 2010.Evidence from the Government’s Superfast programme showed that for every £1 spent on connections to premises left behind by the market, up to £4.57 was generated in economic and social benefits. We expect Project Gigabit to continue to drive local economic growth and development in areas which stand to benefit from the programme.Building Digital UK also publishes independent evaluations of its programmes at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/building-digital-uk-research-portal

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of seagrass decline on (a) climate change, (b) fisheries and (c) the rate of coastal erosion.

Seagrass habitats offer a range of benefits to people and nature. They store and sequester carbon, support a variety of fish species and help prevent coastal erosion. These benefits would diminish were the habitats to decline in future. To improve our understanding of the impact of climate change on marine and coastal ecosystems such as seagrass, Defra are supporting the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP). MCCIP synthesise the latest evidence on climate change impacts and predicted trends and publish evidence updates on topics including fisheries, coastal erosion and have previously published a report card specifically on seagrass habitats. Natural England published their “Definition of Favourable Conservation Status for seagrass beds” in 2023. This report outlined seagrass habitat status accounting for historical decline, future pressures – including as a result of climate change – as well as listing beneficial functions seagrass beds provide including for a number of fish species.

What the average time is between application and payment under LGBT Veterans Independent Review reparation schemes.

As of 9 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,067 applications and 44 Veterans had received payments. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with. It is important to note that due to the individual nature of each case, we do not collect data on the average time between application and payment; this metric would not provide any meaningful insight into processing times, as it will vary considerably according to the specific circumstances of each Veteran’s application. The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting LGBT Veterans who may face reliving traumatic experiences during the FRS impact statement process. Assistance is available to Veterans via our partner charities, Royal British Legion and Fighting with Pride. Additional support is also available from the Veterans Welfare Service. Contact details can be found on the FRS’s gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme/lgbt-financial-recognition-scheme-guide-how-to-apply-for-a-financial-recognition-payment The FRS does not have an automated award system in place. To fairly assess if an application meets the eligibility criteria, applications must be processed fully in accordance with the Scheme Rules.

Whether his Department is providing psychological support to LGBT veterans who are asked to relive traumatic experiences as part of the impact statement process for financial reparations.

As of 9 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,067 applications and 44 Veterans had received payments. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with. It is important to note that due to the individual nature of each case, we do not collect data on the average time between application and payment; this metric would not provide any meaningful insight into processing times, as it will vary considerably according to the specific circumstances of each Veteran’s application. The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting LGBT Veterans who may face reliving traumatic experiences during the FRS impact statement process. Assistance is available to Veterans via our partner charities, Royal British Legion and Fighting with Pride. Additional support is also available from the Veterans Welfare Service. Contact details can be found on the FRS’s gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme/lgbt-financial-recognition-scheme-guide-how-to-apply-for-a-financial-recognition-payment The FRS does not have an automated award system in place. To fairly assess if an application meets the eligibility criteria, applications must be processed fully in accordance with the Scheme Rules.

If he will set out how the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan will take into account the distribution of (a) seagrasses and (b) other blue carbon stores when determining the (i) optimal locations, (ii) quantities, and (iii) types of energy infrastructure at sea.

The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will treat blue carbon stores, such as seagrass beds, saltmarshes and subtidal/intertidal biogenic reefs, as environmental constraints in its spatial evaluation framework. It will draw on datasets such as NIRAS’s MPA Risk Layers and The Crown Estate’s Marine Irreplaceable Habitats. The SSEP will be updated every 3 years, and as more data becomes available on blue carbon stores it will be considered in future iterations of the SSEP.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will set out the role (a) seagrasses and (b) marine nature-based solutions will have in his Department's net zero plans.

The Government has set out a clear mission to make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower and accelerate progress towards Net Zero. Achieving this ambition within Defra sectors requires enhanced decarbonisation efforts alongside strengthened nature-based solutions. The Net Zero pathway for Carbon Budgets 4-6 includes nature-based measures aimed at protecting existing ecosystems, restoring degraded landscapes, and creating or sustainably managing new ecosystems. Defra is actively exploring the role of marine nature-based solutions, such as seagrass and saltmarsh restoration, to deliver both carbon sequestration and biodiversity benefits. Through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership (UKBCEP) Defra is working with Devolved Governments and DESNZ to address key blue carbon research questions, including assessing their carbon storage potential. The UKBCEP has established a working group and earlier this year Defra published a roadmap to help to address the evidence gaps preventing the inclusion of coastal wetlands in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Whether his Department has considered introducing (a) automatic awards and (b) simplified applications for people with confirmed records of dismissal for homosexuality; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on levels of bureaucracy for (i) elderly and (ii) unwell veterans.

As of 9 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,067 applications and 44 Veterans had received payments. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with. It is important to note that due to the individual nature of each case, we do not collect data on the average time between application and payment; this metric would not provide any meaningful insight into processing times, as it will vary considerably according to the specific circumstances of each Veteran’s application. The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting LGBT Veterans who may face reliving traumatic experiences during the FRS impact statement process. Assistance is available to Veterans via our partner charities, Royal British Legion and Fighting with Pride. Additional support is also available from the Veterans Welfare Service. Contact details can be found on the FRS’s gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme/lgbt-financial-recognition-scheme-guide-how-to-apply-for-a-financial-recognition-payment The FRS does not have an automated award system in place. To fairly assess if an application meets the eligibility criteria, applications must be processed fully in accordance with the Scheme Rules.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support seagrass restoration programmes to scale-up.

Defra is supporting the scaling up of seagrass restoration programmes by identifying and overcoming barriers. The Environment Agency with partners is working to restore 15% of saltmarsh, seagrass and native oyster reef in England by 2043 through the Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) programme. Defra have boosted the capacity of ReMeMaRe by funding a programme office, which is supporting a pipeline of practical restoration projects. The annual ReMeMaRe Conference gives partners from across the country an opportunity to engage with and learn from each other. ReMeMaRe has also worked with partners to produce restoration guidance and map restoration opportunities. It is also funding the development of an estuarine and coastal restoration platform, which will enhance collaboration opportunities for partners, aiming to scale up restoration activity on the ground.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the type approval process for inshore vessel monitoring systems in 2021.

Four devices were granted type-approval in 2021, based on evidence provided that devices met the I-VMS device specification of requirements, with the roll-out starting in 2022. Following feedback of quality assurance concerns, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) paused the roll-out and commissioned a third-party testing laboratory to undertake assurance testing of the four devices in 2022/23. Those devices were evaluated according to the I-VMS device specification of requirements. As a result of that testing, two devices passed and retained MMO type-approval status. The roll-out recommenced in 2023 with those two devices.