Written questions by Johnson.

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs). Defra’s performance statistics for Named Day and Ordinary Written PQs from May to November 2025 are in the table below. These are the percentages published on time for the case types and time periods requested. Please note that due to summer recess, no Named Day or Ordinary Written Parliamentary Questions to Defra were due during the month of August. Named DayOrdinary WrittenMay18%59%June78%90%July86%93%Augustn/an/aSeptember51%62%October53%90%November51%83% The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the Governments consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the badger population in each year since the enactment of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

Since the enactment of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, two national badger monitoring surveys have taken place. A 1994-97 survey estimate did not provide an estimate of the overall population but instead estimated there were 46,100 family groups in England and Wales. A survey of the badger population in 2011-13 estimated that there were approximately 424,000 badgers in 71,600 family groups in England and Wales. In February 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Agency commenced the latest badger population survey which will estimate badger abundance and population recovery to illustrate the impact of widespread culling over the past decade.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the size of the badger population (a) in June 2025 and (b) in each of the last 10 years.

The first major badger population survey in over a decade began in February 2025 and is currently ongoing. The most recent previous national survey was conducted in England and Wales between 2011 and 2013, estimating the badger population at approximately 485,000 individuals across 71,600 social groups.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of hectares of (a) agricultural land, (b) Grade 1 agricultural land, (c) Grade 2 agricultural land, (d) Grade 3a agricultural land, (e) Grade 3b agricultural land, (f) Grade 4 agricultural land, (g) Grade 5 agricultural land, (h) brownfield land in (i) the UK, (ii) Great Britain, (iii) England and (iv) England broken down by (A) region and (B) county.

An estimate will be made when an updated Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) map is published later this year. Land classification is a devolved matter, and each nation within the UK takes a different approach. In England and Wales, the ALC system is used to assess agricultural land quality. The Government remains committed to maintaining accurate land classification data to support planning and policy decisions. The new strategic-scale ALC map will replace the 1960s provisional map in England, ensuring alignment with current ALC guidelines and including the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of vape (a) distributors, (b) importers, (c) manufacturers and (d) producers that are registered with (i) the Environment Agency and

The Environment Agency maintains a public register of registered producers and approved compliance schemes under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013. There are currently 34 registered vape producers in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, what information his Department holds on the number of vape (a) distributors, (b) importers, (c) manufacturers

The Environment Agency (EA) holds a public register of battery producers and approved battery (producer) compliance schemes. Only battery producers that qualify as large producers are required to join a battery compliance scheme. Large producers are those...

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, how many times his Department has taken enforcement action in relation to vape (a) distributors, (b) importers,

No enforcement action has been taken against vape producers or distributors under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 in either 2023 or 2024 to date.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013, how many times the Office for Product Safety and Standards has taken enforcement action in relation to

Distributors are not required to register under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013. There are takeback obligations on vape distributors which are enforced by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). OPSS regul...