Written questions by Voaden.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of grazing density calculations on Dartmoor pony populations.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect Dartmoor ponies in the context of the publication of stocking densities for Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of animal welfare practices in slaughterhouses.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure local authority recycling schemes accept non-black plant pots.

Part 4 of Schedule 1 to The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024 provides a list of plastics which are included in the recyclable plastic waste stream. This includes PE, PET and PP pots which are larger than 40x40mm and do not contain any pigment which prevents them from being near-infrared detectable (e.g. carbon black pigment) within the plastic recyclable waste stream. Defra engages regularly with local authority networks and will raise this matter with them, so they can communicate directly with their members about the legal requirement to collect this material. We know that some local authorities will need longer to roll out changes beyond 31 March 2026 due to circumstances beyond their control, such as delivery timescales for collection vehicles and containers. In such circumstances, we expect local authorities to be taking all necessary steps within their control to progress and to keep their residents informed on timeframes for service changes. We continue to work with local authority waste networks and the wider industry, providing targeted support to help address the outstanding issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support farmers to recycle farm plastic.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help map that transition, and agrifood has been selected as one of the six priority areas that presents a significant opportunity for circular interventions to drive innovation, investment, and productivity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of recycling rates of farm plastic.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help map that transition, and agrifood has been selected as one of the six priority areas that presents a significant opportunity for circular interventions to drive innovation, investment, and productivity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential merits inclusion of ponies in grazing densities under Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Including ponies in grazing density calculations ensures the total grazing pressure on a site is accurately assessed and aligned with sustainable levels for habitat recovery. This prevents the risk of underestimating grazing impacts, which could otherwise lead to overgrazing and damage to sensitive habitats. Including ponies also improves fairness and transparency, as all grazing animals are accounted for in stocking records. From an ecological perspective, ponies contribute significantly to vegetation management, so excluding them would distort management decisions. Within Countryside Stewardship, ponies are recognised similarly to cattle and land grazed by them can attract agri‑environment payments, providing an incentive to maintain their presence. The scheme also treats resident ponies as a permanent feature, meaning they are exempt from stock removal requirements. Overall, this approach supports habitat recovery, helps maintain favourable condition on protected sites, and contributes to meeting wider environmental targets.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on Dartmoor ponies of their inclusion in grazing densities under Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to provide guidance on the collection of plastic plant pots by local authorities under the plastic waste stream, in accordance with Schedule 1, Part 4 of the Separation of Waste (England) Regulations.

Part 4 of Schedule 1 to The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024 provides a list of plastics which are included in the recyclable plastic waste stream. This includes PE, PET and PP pots which are larger than 40x40mm and do not contain any pigment which prevents them from being near-infrared detectable (e.g. carbon black pigment) within the plastic recyclable waste stream. Guidance has already been published to assist local authorities and other waste collectors and workplaces in implementing these requirements. Defra engages regularly with local authority networks and will raise this matter with them, so they can communicate directly with their members about the legal requirement to collect this material.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure the timely completion of payments for Countryside Stewardship agreements.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) understands the importance of cashflow for farmers and rural businesses. For the 2025 scheme year they have once again paid a higher proportion of Countryside Stewardship payments earlier in the payment window. The RPA has taken steps to improve the flow of payments for the schemes they deliver, and the Countryside Stewardship scheme continues to be administered with payment frequency and timeliness in mind.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proportion of fertiliser that is imported on food security.

The fertiliser market is a global one, and the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound. We are aware of the current price increase for fertiliser due to the conflict in the Gulf. We are in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and are monitoring overall supply to the UK. Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Water Restoration Fund will open for new applications in 2026.

The Water Restoration Fund, funded by water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023, is now delivering on-the-ground improvements for water quality through 51 projects, directly benefitting the communities and the environment which have been harmed by water company rule breaking. The programme runs for 3 years from FY 2025-26 until 2027-28.At Budget the Government confirmed the next tranche of water company fines money would provide additional funding to support local water improvement projects.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the fishing industry following recent changes to the EU regulations for UK vessels operating in EU waters.

The changes to the EU Control Regulation apply to all vessels fishing in EU waters including those of EU member states and the UK. All UK vessels licensed to fish in EU waters have been notified of the impending changes and further detail and guidance on their interpretation has been issued, along with contact details should vessel owners and operators have further queries. We continue to engage with the Commission to clarify points of the legislation and will issue further guidance on these points as it becomes available. In the meantime, we have engaged with individual member states to push for a pragmatic approach to enforcement while UK vessels adapt to the new regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support recreational angling operators in the light of recent changes to pollack catch limits.

The pollack stock remains vulnerable and it is important we take steps to support its recovery. The recreational sector has shown leadership through the voluntary Pollack Pact, which we are building on by mandating a three-fish daily bag limit. This means recreational fishers can continue to fish for pollack, while helping reduce pressure on the stock. We will continue working closely with the recreational and commercial sectors through the Fisheries Management Plan process to consider any further fair and proportionate measures.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the threshold is for Natural England to investigate reported burns on deep peat.

Defra takes any allegations of breaches of The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 seriously. With support from Natural England, a desk-based assessment is completed for all reports received. Where an offence cannot be ruled out, these cases are then referred to Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigations team (CFI).

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support innovation in the agricultural sector.

The Farming Innovation Programme is supporting research and innovation in the agricultural sector to help English farmers and growers increase productivity, sustainability and resilience. The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published on 23 June, recognises Agri-Tech as a key growth sector and at least £200 million is allocated to the Farming Innovation Programme up to 2030. This will offer targeted funding to drive innovation in agriculture, supporting critical investment into the UK Agri-Tech innovation pipeline helping further the commercialisation of Agri-Tech.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on levels of protection for national parks.

Government remains committed to safeguarding our National Parks and National Landscapes and enabling Protected Landscapes organisations to make land greener, wilder, and more accessible to all.

Food and Rural Affairs, what process her Department uses to reallocate unused licences that allow fishing for bass.

Bass authorisations are administered by the Marine Management Organisation. They are separate to fishing vessel licences and allocated to the vessel with a track record of landing bass between 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016. Unless approved by MMO to transfer an authorisation to another vessel under specific circumstances, bass authorisations cannot be transferred between individuals. A review of the current bass authorisation system is underway.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered extending temporary licences to (a) crab and (b) lobster fishers who have been affected by recent trends in the number of octopuses.

No temporary licences are issued. To fish for shellfish, fishers need a shellfish entitlement on their fishing vessel licence from the Marine Manamgent Organisation (MMO) and if fishing in the 0-6 nautical mile zone, a permit from their local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA). In this case, applications may be made to the Devon and Severn IFCA

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure biosolids used as fertiliser do not contain (a) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and (b) microplastics.

We recognise the need to ensure the safe and sustainable use of sludge in agriculture to help clean up our waterways and promote healthy soil. We will continue to work constructively with stakeholders on our ongoing review of the regulatory framework to ensure it is fit-for-purpose. The Government has been working with water companies under their Chemical Investigations Programme (CIP), to improve the evidence base on the behaviour and fate of contaminants during treatment processes. CIP phase 4 will include a Groundwater, Soil and Biosolids investigation. This will explore the fate and behaviour of multiple chemical compounds, including PFAS substances and microplastics, to establish whether detected substances may pose a risk to long-term soil health, groundwater quality and the wider environment. This work will help inform possible and future measures to mitigate contaminants in the environment. We discuss the progress of this work on a frequent basis. Earlier this year, we published this Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics, which provides a welcome addition to our sum of knowledge on the options to protect human health and the UK environment from the risks of microplastics. We are considering the results of this study.