Every parliamentary written question tabled by Callum Anderson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 181–200 of 843 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what baseline data his Department holds on the number of roads and sewers not adopted by (a) Buckinghamshire Council and (b) Milton Keynes City Council.
My Department does not hold the requested data. I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the scale of unadopted infrastructure across new freehold estates.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential role of export market access in improving farm profitability since 2021.
This Government is supporting British food and farming’s untapped global export potential through new trade agreements, including with India, and progressing negotiations with the EU on an SPS Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier. In 2025 our global network of agri-food attachés resolved further export barriers which industry estimate are worth over £125 million. Recent successes include securing market access for dairy to Egypt, worth £35 million per year, and pork exports to Mexico, worth £3.8 million per year.
Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria her Department will use to evaluate the effectiveness of the Farming and Food Partnership Board.
The department is setting up a Farming and Food Partnership Board (FFPB) which will bring together voices from farming, food, retail and finance to drive profitability, support British produce and remove barriers to investment. The Board will bring together voices from the farming, food, retail and finance sectors to drive profitability, support homegrown British produce and remove barriers to investment. More information on the composition and operation of the FFPB will be set out in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department will take to improve market transparency for input price indices for farmers.
Defra publishes price indices for key farming inputs such as animal feed and fertilisers in the monthly Agricultural Price Indices release, as well as annual analysis of trends in price indices in Chapter 6: Prices of Agriculture in the UK. The indices rely on a broad range of cross-government and industry data sources, which are regularly reviewed to ensure the estimates are based on the best available data.
Food and Rural Affairs, what analysis her Department has made of the potential relationship between environmental regulation costs and farm profitability.
Farm incomes and profitability are largely impacted by factors such as the weather, input costs and prices. The costs of regulatory compliance have a smaller effect. However, we recognise Government should try to minimise the costs of regulatory compliance. Following the recent Corry and Batters review reports, we are considering recommendations made in both reports in relation to regulation impacting farming and we are continuing a programme of improvement.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planning rule changes on on-farm infrastructure delivery.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has worked with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consider how changes to the National Planning Policy Framework can support various types of agricultural and rural business development and infrastructure. Government is currently consulting on these changes. National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system - GOV.UK
Food and Rural Affairs, what data her Department holds on farmer-reported barriers to accessing private finance.
The Government regularly and actively engages with farmers to listen to their views and understand their concerns, including barriers to accessing private finance, and take their feedback into account. Defra has built up a good understanding of the main issues through our farming programmes, our investment readiness support, and evaluations. The recently published Review of Farming Productivity by Baroness Minette Batters has also provided us with additional insights and recommendations on how to unlock finance.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential fiscal impact of enhanced farm support measures on the public finances.
The Government is committed to supporting British farmers and the vital role they play. We have allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. We’re targeting public money where it delivers most value – supporting nature, because all farms need healthy soils, abundant pollinators, and clean water to produce good food. We will continue to invest in our farmers and land managers to make their businesses, food production and our country more sustainable and resilient through Environmental Land Management schemes.
What steps she is taking to ensure delivery of pledged additional risk capital by signatories to the Mansion House Accord.
In May 2025, 17 of the largest workplace pension providers signed the Mansion House Accord and voluntarily committed to invest at least 10 per cent of their defined contribution default funds in private markets by 2030, with at least half of that invested in the UK.The organising bodies of the Accord have committed to working with government and regulators to ensure that data demonstrating progress against the Accord will be tracked.The government has a broad programme of reform which will facilitate pensions investment across the UK. The British Business Bank has launched an investment vehicle, the British Growth Partnership (BGP), and the new Venture Link initiative, to help pension funds invest more in UK venture opportunities. The Sterling 20 partnership was also established last year. The investor-led partnership between 20 of the UK’s largest pension funds and insurers is working with the government and the City of London Corporation to help ensure pension schemes have visibility of the range of investment opportunities in productive assets.The government is also legislating in the Pension Schemes Bill for a reserve investment power, to act as a backstop to the Accord.
Food and Rural Affairs, what work has been done to identify geographic disparities in farm profitability.
Data on Farm Business Income (output generated by the farm business minus total farm costs, essentially net profit) is published annually at regional level. While this shows geographic differences in farm profitability, it is also heavily influenced by the variation in the predominant type of farming in different parts of the country. The survey covers farm businesses in England with a Standard Output of more than £21,000. Whilst it captures the majority of agricultural activity, it excludes smaller businesses (which account for 2% of output). The table below shows average Farm Business Income, in real terms, by region for 2023/24. These data will shortly be backdated to a new methodology introduced in 2024/25. Data for 2024/25 along with revised 2023/24 figures will be published on the 22nd of January in Farm Accounts in England. Average Farm Business Income in real terms (£ per farm) by region, England 2023/24: £ per farmYorkshire and The Humber52,200North East67,900North West51,600East Midlands32,300West Midlands57,700East67,000South East and London35,100South West36,100England47,900 Source: Farm Business Survey data dashboard Farm Business Survey dashboard.
How her Department plans to account for international approaches to social discounting in informing the UK review of discounting in the Green Book.
The independent review of the Green Book discount rate will be published in the summer 2026. Changes to the Green Book discount rate methodology will affect the appraisal of major infrastructure projects that involve benefits and costs well into the future. The discount rate review will inform the government’s decisions on major projects at the next Spending Review. It will help to ensure that the government makes fair assessments of transformational projects that provide long-term benefits. HM Treasury’s terms of reference for the discount rate review note that the lead authors should look at international comparisons to better inform their judgements on the UK approach.
Food and Rural Affairs, what analysis has been undertaken of the relative profitability trends in the (i) arable and (ii) livestock sectors since 2020.
Defra’s Farm Business Survey collects information on average Farm Business Income (the output generated by the farm business minus total farm costs, essentially net profit). The survey covers farm businesses in England with a Standard Output of more than £21,000. Whilst it captures the majority of agricultural activity, it excludes smaller businesses (which account for 2% of output). Table 1 of the Farm Business Income dataset shows average Farm Business Income, at current prices and in real terms, by type of farm (arable and livestock) for 2004/05 to 2024/25: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691d8c2fd140bbbaa59a29e5/fbs_farmbusinesincome_timeseries_2024_25.ods.
What analysis her Department has undertaken on the potential fiscal implications for future public spending decisions of altering the declining discount rate regime.
The independent review of the Green Book discount rate will be published in the summer 2026. Changes to the Green Book discount rate methodology will affect the appraisal of major infrastructure projects that involve benefits and costs well into the future. The discount rate review will inform the government’s decisions on major projects at the next Spending Review. It will help to ensure that the government makes fair assessments of transformational projects that provide long-term benefits. HM Treasury’s terms of reference for the discount rate review note that the lead authors should look at international comparisons to better inform their judgements on the UK approach.
What data his Department holds on the unemployment rate of spouses of uniformed personnel in the armed forces.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd of January is attached.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to evaluate the effectiveness of trade missions dedicated to British agriculture.
This Government is supporting British food and farming’s untapped global potential through new trade agreements, including with India, and progressing negotiations with the EU on an SPS Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier. In 2025 our global network of agri-food attachés resolved further export barriers which industry estimate are worth over £125 million. Recent successes include securing market access for dairy to Egypt, worth £35 million per year, and pork exports to Mexico, worth £3.8 million per year. Dedicated trade missions support this work, helping farmers and growers get British produce into new markets overseas and unlocking export barriers.
What assessment she has made of how changes to the discount rate methodology might affect the appraisal of major infrastructure projects in different UK regions.
The independent review of the Green Book discount rate will be published in the summer 2026. Changes to the Green Book discount rate methodology will affect the appraisal of major infrastructure projects that involve benefits and costs well into the future. The discount rate review will inform the government’s decisions on major projects at the next Spending Review. It will help to ensure that the government makes fair assessments of transformational projects that provide long-term benefits. HM Treasury’s terms of reference for the discount rate review note that the lead authors should look at international comparisons to better inform their judgements on the UK approach.
Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms will be used to prioritise recommendations in the Farming Profitability Review.
We are considering the 57 recommendations set out in the Farming Profitability Review. So far, we have announced the creation of a new Farming and Food Partnership Board, whose objective will be to strengthen food production at home and ensure policy delivers real change for farmers; and changes to planning rules to place greater emphasis on food production, making it easier for farmers to develop infrastructure such as reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels and farm shops. We are also stepping up action on supply chain fairness, and have announced a new SFI offer for 2026, which will be more focussed, more transparent and fairer so that as many farmers as possible can benefit from it. We will set out a fuller response later this year.
Food and Rural Affairs, what work has been done to model the impact of climate variability on farm profitability projections.
Results from Defra’s annual Farm Business Survey provide an assessment of how the weather and other factors have influenced farm profitability in the previous year. These are published at: Farm Business Survey - GOV.UK Last year we published Baroness Batters’ Farming Profitability Review, which offers a clear assessment of the challenges facing farmers alongside 57 recommendations for strengthening farm businesses. We are grateful for this substantial piece of work, which is rooted in years of experience and provides important evidence to guide our approach. We will now carefully consider the findings and recommendations.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of potential barriers to rural workforce housing on farm labour availability.
The Government regularly reviews and publishes data relating to rural housing on GOV.UK: Housing Statistics for Rural England - GOV.UK. The Government gives all due consideration to this data, including implications for the rural workforce, when formulating policy. In relation to seasonal workers via the visa route, there are no housing barriers identified for this cohort as accommodation is provided as part of the conditions of their sponsor, in the main part as on-farm caravan accommodation.