Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the end of Seasonal Shearer Visas in 2027 on sheep welfare.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to train UK-based sheep shearers ahead of the closure of Seasonal Shearer Visas in 2027.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed suspension of tariffs on fresh bananas on the resilience and diversity of the UK's food supply chain.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending free school milk provision until the end of the Reception year on (a) demand for British dairy produce, (b) farm incom

The Nursery Milk Scheme is a statutory scheme which allows early years childcare settings to reclaim the cost of providing one-third of a pint of milk per day to children under the age of five who attend a setting for two or more hours per day. It is led ...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether pet travel arrangements, including the recognition of GB-issued pet passports, are being considered as part of ongoing negotiations on the UK's relationship with the European U

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Healt...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to regulate the cost of Animal Health Certificates issued to pet owners travelling to the EU.

All Animal Health Certificate (AHC) fees are set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices and are a private matter between individual practices and their clients and neither the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the UK regulator of the ve...

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set a timeline for the phasing out of the use of CO2 gas chambers for pigs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 May to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell, PQ UIN 613.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the sustainable Chicken Forum.

The Department remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to continue working closely with all stakeholders to deliver high standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of fast growing broiler breeds on welfare conditions.

The welfare implications of fast-growing breeds of meat chickens was considered as part of the Defra funded Systematic Review of Evidence on Livestock Breeding conducted by Queen’s University Belfast. The Government also commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to conduct a review of livestock breeding and we expect their report to be published this summer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review existing animal welfare legislation following the withdrawal by companies from voluntary commitments to improve chicken farming conditions.

As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government remains committed to supporting a move away from the use of fast-growing breeds of meat chickens. The Government welcome the fact that those supermarkets who made Better Chicken Commitment pledges have fulfilled them, but it is disappointing to hear of the decision of various restaurant groups to withdraw their commitments to improve animal welfare in this way.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Ofwat’s correspondence to the Business and Trade Committee of 8 September 2025, what assessment her Department has made of Ofwat's conclusion that the Class A creditor consortium (the London & Valley Water consortium) does not fit the definition of the ultimate controller of Thames Water.

The classification of Ultimate Controller is a matter for Ofwat as the independent economic regulator. We are reassured that Ofwat have reviewed the matter and will continue to keep the position of Thames Water’s Ultimate Controllers under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans her Department has in place should Thames Water enter special administration.

The Government will always act in the national interest. While the company is stable, we stand ready for all eventualities – including being ready to apply for a Special Administration Regime if necessary. A Special Administration order is a well-established mechanism to ensure the company continues to operate and customers continue to receive their water and wastewater services. The bar for entering a Special Administration is understandably high.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a licensing system for gamebird shooting to deter raptor persecution.

The Government appreciates that many people hold strong views on the issue of gamebird shooting and there is evidence to suggest a link between it and raptor persecution. It is vital that wildlife and habitats are protected and that the law is respected by those involved in the activity. While Defra has not yet made any formal assessment of the potential merits of licensing gamebird shooting in England, it will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between gamebird shooting and conservation.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) confirmed and (b) suspected criminal incidents involving Hen Harriers have been recorded in each of the last five years.

Criminal offences against hen harriers are currently not ‘notifiable’. This means police forces are not required to record and report figures on this type of crime to the Home Office for statistical and monitoring purposes. Defra therefore holds no official statistics on the number of confirmed criminal (or suspected) incidents involving hen harriers from the last five years. Any decision to make such offences notifiable sits with the Home Office rather than Defra.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions have been brought in relation to offences involving the persecution of birds of prey in each of the last five years.

Defra does not hold official data on the number of prosecutions that have been brought in relation to offences involving the persecution of birds of prey. The Ministry of Justice does publish data on prosecutions for a wide range of offences, including offences relating to birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but this is not broken down to a level to identify prosecutions for offences specifically involving birds of prey. Based on data published by the Ministry of Justice, in the last five years there have been 50 prosecutions for offences relating to birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Data relating to specific offences against wild birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 can be sourced using the Outcomes by Offences data tool on the Criminal Justice Statistics website: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase enforcement action against wildlife crime linked to gamebird shooting.

The Government takes all wildlife crime seriously, including offences linked to gamebird shooting. There are strong penalties in place for offences committed against wild animals. Most of these crimes incur a penalty of an unlimited fine and/or up to a six-month custodial sentence.Defra is a principal funder of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime and directly assists law enforcers in their investigations. Defra is providing 494,000 for the NWCU this year. In 2024, the NWCU launched the Hen Harrier Task Force (HTF) – a partnership designed to help tackle the illegal persecution of hen harriers, often associated with grouse shooting. Through the HTF, more efficient channels of communication, cooperation, and data sharing between partners such as Natural England, the RSPB, and the NWCU expedites the coordination of an effective enforcement response. The HTF represents a pivotal shift in combating wildlife crime; it is using innovative technology (such as tracking drones and specialised detection dogs) to overcome logistical challenges and enhance evidence collection in remote areas.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce further restrictions on domestic wood burning in urban areas with poor air quality.

Wood burning is a major source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), especially in urban areas. The Government is currently considering options for reducing the impact of domestic wood burning on people’s health and will consult on measures to reduce emissions from this source.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with the Mayor of London to reduce air pollution levels in (a) Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency and (b) London.

Air quality management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority to discuss and collaborate on air quality initiatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in air pollution levels in Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency.

Air quality management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority to discuss and collaborate on air quality initiatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has carried out a health-impact assessment on the levels of air pollution in Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency.

Air quality management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority to discuss and collaborate on air quality initiatives.