Written questions by Chadwick.

Food and Rural Affairs, what enforcement measures have been implemented at Dover since September 2024.

Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force, the Food Standards Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Dover Port Health Authority (PHA) to improve the interception of illegal products of animal origin entering England via the port of Dover. Enforcement measures implemented at Dover since September 2024 have included seizure and destruction, and these are implemented by Border Force and Dover PHA. To enable this operational activity by Dover PHA, Defra has provided over £14.4m provided since October 2022.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to implement effective oversight of biosecurity border controls.

The Secretary of State for the Home Department does not oversee import controls for biosecurity, but Border Force is responsible for identifying and seizing illegally imported illegal animals, illegal animal products, illegal plants and plant products in some scenarios. Defra and the Home Office are in active dialogue around practical improvements, including at a recent ministerial bilateral meeting and at meetings of the Goods Border Small Ministerial Group.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential biosecurity risk of illegal meat seized in the first four months of 2025; and whether any of this meat tested positive for (a) African Swine Fever and (b) other notifiable diseases.

Protecting UK biosecurity remains paramount, and this Government will do whatever it takes to protect farmers. Defra does not require port health authorities to routinely test or analyse samples of illegally imported meat seized at the UK border for notifiable animal diseases, including African swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease. Negative results would not guarantee the absence of risk. That is why illegal meat imports, intercepted by Border Force and local authorities are all safely disposed in accordance with animal by-products rules. The Animal and Plant Health Agency publishes assessments of the potential risk of animal disease incursions via animals and animal products, including illegal meat imports on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on ensuring adequate veterinary staffing at ports.

The Home Office is not responsible for veterinary staffing at ports and therefore the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on this. Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force, the Food Standards Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Dover Port Health Authority to improve the interception of illegal meat entering England, this includes considering capacity and capabilities.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many lorries of perishable goods have been refused entry into Europe at the French border under the sanitary and phytosanitary arrangements in the last year.

Data on UK consignments refused entry at French Border Control Posts is generated and owned by the competent authorities in France, who are responsible for any publication or wider disclosure. We recognise that some GB exporters have seen an increase in rejections over the past year, reflecting the EU’s decision to reinforce sanitary and phytosanitary controls on commodities entering the EU. Our priority is to ensure that UK goods exported to the EU meet all relevant EU SPS requirements, and we continue to support businesses in doing so. The UK has begun negotiations with the EU on an SPS agreement to make agrifood trade cheaper and easier for producers and retailers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether negotiations on a Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area with the EU has begun.

The UK is ready to move forward quickly to implement the outcomes agreed at the UK-EU summit. We are already in discussions in some areas – Security Action for Europe (SAFE), Erasmus, Electricity linking - and in others (Sanitary and Phytosanitary / Emissions Trading Scheme) the EU is agreeing to their mandates. We stand ready to start talks as soon as those mandates are agreed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Small Producer Exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.

To ensure the effectiveness of the small producer exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, we will keep these thresholds under review, noting that any changes, such as raising the exemption threshold, would impact on disposal fees and recycling obligations for those producers who remain obligated. We will conduct a proactive review of this after two years, allowing time to assess the impact of the scheme and ensure that it remains fair, proportionate, and effective in driving environmental outcomes without placing undue burden on small businesses.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the final report of the Independent Water Commission, published on 21 July 2025, what progress he has made on implementing the recommendations of that report.

The Government is immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations. We will establish a new statutory water ombudsman, end operator self-monitoring and introduce Open Monitoring.Subject to consultation this autumn, the Government will abolish Ofwat and merge its functions to form a single new regulator, which will include a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning. Until the new regulator is fully established, existing regulators will continue to carry out their functions.The Government will clarify its expectations through a Strategic Policy Statement and ministerial direction, expected to be published later this year. The full response to Sir Jon’s recommendations will be set out in a White Paper for consultation this autumn and a new water reform bill to be introduced early this Parliament.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects Ofwat's replacement to be in place.

The Government will respond to Sir Jon Cunliffe’s recommendations in full via a White Paper, published for consultation this autumn, and a new water reform bill that we will introduce early this Parliament. This Government has confirmed that it will abolish Ofwat and bring water functions from four different regulators into one – a single regulator responsible for the entire water sector. Until the single water regulator is fully established, the existing regulators will continue to carry out their functions and enforcement responsibilities in full.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to develop (a) fiscal and (b) regulatory frameworks to support (i) private and (ii) blended finance for large-scale rewilding and nature recovery projects in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

The UK Government is committed to scaling up private and blended finance for nature recovery and sustainable farming. In England, we are actively working to strengthen regulatory frameworks for high-integrity nature markets. This includes a Call for Evidence (published 12 June) on clarifying demand from nature-dependent sectors, and a public consultation (27 April) on improving standards and oversight for carbon and nature markets. The deadline for submitting comment to the Call for Evidence is 7 August. Environmental and agricultural policy are devolved matters. However, the UK and Devolved Governments are collaborating to ensure coherence across the UK, including through joint governance of the British Standards Institution’s UK Nature Investment Standards programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the native (a) timber and (b) hardwoods market through (i) sustainable woodland creation, (ii) supply chain development and (iii) local processing infrastructure.

The Timber in Construction Innovation Fund has awarded £2.3 million to support 14 projects to show the suitability and viability of England’s woodlands resource. We will continue our current approach of funding the establishment of native broadleaf woodlands and supporting the planting of well-designed and managed mixed and conifer-dominated woodlands. We aim to increase the use of both softwood and hardwood sourced from domestic forests in construction projects. We are working in collaboration with the forestry, wood processing and construction sectors to boost the use of timber in construction and drive innovation in the sector through the Timber in Construction Roadmap.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) devolved administrations and (b) local communities on the potential merits of providing (i) funding and (ii) funding through the (A) Shared Prosperity Fund and (B) other environmental or rural development mechanisms to support the reintroduction of (1) beavers, (2) pine martens, (3) elk and (4) golden eagles in Wales.

Defra has not had discussions with devolved administrations and local communities on the potential merits of providing funding to Wales to support the reintroduction of beavers, pine martens, elk, and golden eagles. This is because this is a devolved matter, and funding is therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Government. Natural England, NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales meet quarterly to discuss all species reintroductions projects in their respective countries including beavers. The agencies have an informal agreement to consult each other for any proposal that would impact cross-border. This has already been done for pine marten and white-tailed eagle reintroductions. Regarding beaver reintroductions, the agencies consult with each other on licence applications near borders. For the English licensing scheme, licence applicants are required to consult Natural Resources Wales or NatureScot as well as impacted cross-border stakeholders prior to submitting an application to Natural England. Natural England will then carry out their own formal cross-agency consultation once the licence application has been received.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) cross-border coordination and (b) strategic support for (i) species reintroductions, (ii) ecological corridor planning and (iii) access to funding between (A) England and the devolved administrations and (B) mid-Wales and the Welsh Marches.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Defra has not taken steps on cross-border co-ordination or strategic support for reintroductions between England and the devolved administrations, including mid-Wales and the Welsh Marches. All reintroductions in England are expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conversations Translocations. The Code states that, while it is specific to England, cross-border co-operation and engagement with relevant authorities and stakeholders is essential where releases occur close to England’s neighbours or involve a reintroduction of a species to Great Britain. We would therefore expect any reintroduction project to carry out cross-border coordination as part of the planning phase of their reintroduction project. On strategic support for ecological corridors, delivering the Environment Act habitat target will create more ecologically functional, better-connected habitats. Creating and restoring wildlife-rich habitat can help improve habitat connectivity to support larger and more resilient species populations, especially in the context of a changing climate. The Four Countries’ Biodiversity Group (4CBG) provides a forum to take forward substantive and policy-development issues relating to biodiversity common to all four countries.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of excess sewage sludge on levels of river pollution.

Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) supported by the Sewage Sludge Code of Practice provide environmental and health protections from sludge spreading. The Government is continuing to work with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that bluetongue regulatory regimes in England and Wales are adequately joined-up to support farmers on the border who need to move stock between England and Wales to access land and markets.

Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved administrations to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. However, Defra and the Devolved Governments work closely together with the aim of providing, where possible, a consistent and coordinated response to disease prevention, mitigation, and control across the UK. A key forum for this is the Animal Disease Policy Group (ADPG), which is a UK wide policy decision making group. Defra and Devolved Governments also engage closely with industry to inform policy development and implementation through the Livestock Core Group.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging arrangements on levels of costs for small scale (a) cider and (b) perry producers using glass bottles; and what steps he is taking to support small businesses through these changes.

The Government wants to see all businesses take steps to reduce packaging use, ensure packaging is easy to recycle, and where appropriate move to re-use systems. However, the Government also recognises the importance of protecting small producers from direct cost obligations. This is why the regulations include a de-minimis threshold of £2 million turnover and 50 tonnes which exempts approximately 70% of the producers supplying packaging in the UK from paying scheme fees.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reflect the findings of the Water Commission.

The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system and is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. It is considering a wide range of areas, as set out in the Commission’s Call for Evidence. The Commission will report later in summer 2025 with recommendations to the UK and Welsh Governments to help restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health, meet the challenges of the future and contribute to economic growth. These recommendations are expected to form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to introduce a ban on personal meat imports, in the context of recent confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth in Europe.

On 12 April 2025, the Government banned personal imports of meat and dairy products from foot and mouth disease (FMD) susceptible animals from the European single market area, to protect our farmers from FMD. The Government had already banned personal imports of these commodities from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria in response to confirmed outbreaks of FMD in those countries.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh government on the limit of water abstractions from the river Usk to supply Monmouth and Brecon canal.

Water abstraction licensing in Wales, and conditions that may be attached to licences, are a devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Defra and the Environment Agency do not have a role in that. Issues of concern about the supply of water for the Monmouth and Brecon Canal are an operational matter for the Canal and River Trust, as the independent charity owning the canal, to resolve with Natural Resources Wales.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh government on the provision of support for the cost of water supplied by Dŵr Cymru for the Monmouth and Brecon canal.

Water abstraction licensing in Wales, and conditions that may be attached to licences, are a devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Defra and the Environment Agency do not have a role in that. Issues of concern about the supply of water for the Monmouth and Brecon Canal are an operational matter for the Canal and River Trust, as the independent charity owning the canal, to resolve with Natural Resources Wales.