Written questions by Morello.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Environment Agency on rules governing sewage discharge into rivers during periods of heavy rainfall.

The Government is committed to tackling the root causes of sewage pollution into our rivers, lakes and seas. We will enable a step change to allow for more ‘pre-pipe’ solutions to reduce the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the sewerage system. This includes better rainwater management, including sustainable drainage systems, and tackling sewer misuse. Between 2025 and 2030, over £11 billion is being invested in improving nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health, including in rural areas. Storm overflows are strictly regulated by the Environment Agency (EA). The regulators will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, will not hesitate to hold companies to account. The EA has increased its target for water company inspections to 10,000 in 2025/26 as part of the Government’s wider focus to hold companies to account and improve our water environment. Ministers meet regularly with the EA Chair and Chief Executive to discuss governance, performance and delivery across the EA’s remit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of combined sewage overflows discharging into the South Winterborne at Martinstown on the environment.

The Environment Agency regularly assess the impact of storm overflows on the environment, including those discharging into the South Winterborne at Martinstown. Water companies are installing continuous water quality monitors to quantify the impacts of sewerage undertaker assets, including storm overflows, on the quality of receiving watercourses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help improve public confidence in the water sector.

Our New Vision for Water sets out once‑in‑a‑generation reforms to transform the water system. We will establish a new water regulator to raise trust and accountability, and set up an independent, impartial and accredited Ombudsman so customers have assurance their complaints will be resolved.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to increase urban and peri-urban horticulture.

The Government recognises that expanding urban and peri‑urban food growing can support communities by increasing access to fresh produce, improving local green spaces and contributing to public health and environmental outcomes. The Environmental Improvement Plan, published in December, describes the actions we will take to restore nature, improve environmental quality, create a circular economy, protect environmental security and improve people’s access to nature. Community‑led initiatives are available to support projects that create opportunities for people to grow food locally and sustainably in urban and peri-urban areas and will play an important part in supporting urban greening.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Ofwat to help ensure transparent pricing practices from water companies.

Last week the Government published its Water White Paper which commits to measures to increase the transparency of pricing practices including reviewing tariff structures and enabling smart metering. Alongside this, Government will create a stable, predictable regulatory environment that lowers financing costs, streamlining planning and regulation to cut overheads, and enabling more efficient solutions, such as smart metering.Water companies have committed to rolling out smart meters across 50% of homes and businesses by 2030. Government is working with Ofwat to ensure, via a Smart Metering Delivery Board, that customers get transparent information from meters on how they are being charged.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that planning exemptions for campsites in national landscapes maintain protections for the environment.

The Government is committed to working with local partners and Protected Landscapes organisations to understand how planning measures can protect the unique landscape and natural assets of these areas, while supporting sustainable tourism and rural economic growth. Exempted organisations are encouraged to consult with the relevant National Landscape teams about what might be done to minimise environmental impacts of a site. Permission must still be sought from Natural England by exempted organisations to use land within protected sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that planning exemptions for campsites in national landscapes maintain protections for the environment.

The Government is committed to working with local partners and Protected Landscapes organisations to understand how planning measures can protect the unique landscape and natural assets of these areas, while supporting sustainable tourism and rural economic growth. Exempted organisations are encouraged to consult with the relevant National Landscape teams about what might be done to minimise environmental impacts of a site. Permission must still be sought from Natural England by exempted organisations to use land within protected sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce reliance on imported fruit and vegetables.

The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and its role in providing fresh home-grown produce that helps to feed the nation. Future support for the horticulture sector is being considered as part of Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and taxpayer value. The new Farming and Food Partnership Board, bringing together industry and government leaders, will also develop tailored growth plans for sectors including horticulture. 27% of the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) grant awards to date, over £41 million, has been granted to research projects benefiting the horticulture sector, offering targeted opportunities for fruit and vegetable businesses to become more profitable, resilient, and sustainable. Further opportunities for farmer and grower led trials to test ideas and solutions are also now available in FIP via ADOPT grants, and we have committed to allocating at least £200 million to FIP through to 2030. Wider Government support includes: the five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, providing much needed stability and certainty to businesses and extending the easement on import checks on medium risk fruit and vegetables ahead of the new SPS agreement deal with the EU.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of taking steps to help support the expansion of urban and peri-urban food growing on the environment, public health and communities.

The Government recognises that expanding urban and peri‑urban food growing can support communities by increasing access to fresh produce, improving local green spaces and contributing to public health and environmental outcomes. Defra’s revised Environmental Improvement Plan, published in December 2025, describes the actions the department will take to restore nature, improve environmental quality, create a circular economy, protect environmental security and improve people’s access to nature. Community‑led initiatives are available to support projects in West Dorset that create opportunities for people to grow food locally and sustainably in urban and peri-urban areas, and will play an important part in supporting urban greening.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to support urban and peri-urban horticulture projects in West Dorset constituency and other rural areas.

The Government recognises that expanding urban and peri‑urban food growing can support communities by increasing access to fresh produce, improving local green spaces and contributing to public health and environmental outcomes. Defra’s revised Environmental Improvement Plan, published in December 2025, describes the actions the department will take to restore nature, improve environmental quality, create a circular economy, protect environmental security and improve people’s access to nature. Community‑led initiatives are available to support projects in West Dorset that create opportunities for people to grow food locally and sustainably in urban and peri-urban areas, and will play an important part in supporting urban greening.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to increase domestic fruit and vegetable production to improve food security.

The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and its role in providing fresh home-grown produce that helps to feed the nation. Future support for the horticulture sector is being considered as part of Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and taxpayer value. The new Farming and Food Partnership Board, bringing together industry and government leaders, will also develop tailored growth plans for sectors including horticulture. 27% of the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) grant awards to date, over £41 million, has been granted to research projects benefiting the horticulture sector, offering targeted opportunities for fruit and vegetable businesses to become more profitable, resilient, and sustainable. Further opportunities for farmer and grower led trials to test ideas and solutions are also now available in FIP via ADOPT grants, and we have committed to allocating at least £200 million to FIP through to 2030. Wider Government support includes: the five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, providing much needed stability and certainty to businesses and extending the easement on import checks on medium risk fruit and vegetables ahead of the new SPS agreement deal with the EU.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support is available to small and medium-sized growers to develop direct-to-consumer sales models.

Farmers often face power imbalances within the supply chain and can feel they have little influence on commercial negotiations. Powers in the Agriculture Act have been used to introduce ‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations, applying to businesses when purchasing agricultural products from farmers. These regulations could mandate that contracts include certain information (e.g. termination clauses, duration, pricing information) and set parameters around these details. Defra will continue to work closely with all relevant industry stakeholders on the best way to achieve this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support grower-led supply chains in (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset constituency.

Farmers often face power imbalances within the supply chain and can feel they have little influence on commercial negotiations. Powers in the Agriculture Act have been used to introduce ‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations, applying to businesses when purchasing agricultural products from farmers. These regulations could mandate that contracts include certain information (e.g. termination clauses, duration, pricing information) and set parameters around these details. Defra will continue to work closely with all relevant industry stakeholders on the best way to achieve this.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to support grower-led supply chains.

Farmers often face power imbalances within the supply chain and can feel they have little influence on commercial negotiations. Powers in the Agriculture Act have been used to introduce ‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations, applying to businesses when purchasing agricultural products from farmers. These regulations could mandate that contracts include certain information (e.g. termination clauses, duration, pricing information) and set parameters around these details. Defra will continue to work closely with all relevant industry stakeholders on the best way to achieve this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of releasing details of the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive offer after June 2026 on farmers’ ability to apply.

We will provide more detail on the new SFI offer at the NFU Conference in February ahead of publishing the full scheme details before the first application window opens in June.

Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department will publish full details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive offer for 2026, including eligibility criteria and option specifications.

We will provide more detail on the new SFI offer at the NFU Conference in February ahead of publishing the full scheme details before the first application window opens in June.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent planning exemptions for campsites on protected landscapes in West Dorset.

The department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of recent planning exemptions for campsites on Protected Landscapes in West Dorset. However, we are committed to working with local partners and Protected Landscapes organisations to understand how planning measures can protect the unique landscape and natural assets of these areas, while supporting sustainable tourism and rural economic growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made representations to Ofwat regarding the requirement for third-party customers to be given opt-out rights from seasonal tariff trials.

The Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to seasonal tariffs aiming to make bills more affordable and is engaging with industry leaders to drive further progress. Ofwat called on companies to conduct charging trials, such as seasonal tariffs, aimed at supporting affordability and other sustainability goals such as reducing demand and have amended their charging rules to make it easier to conduct trials. Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. Ofwat regulates charging trials by requiring companies to set fair charges for all customers, and ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. There are several trials taking place, or planned, across all companies between now and 2030. These trials could benefit consumers by making water bills more affordable for more households. Companies must consult with the Consumer Council for Water in developing their trials to ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place ensuring vulnerable consumers are adequately protected or excluded from the trials.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ofwat on the treatment of third-party water users where the account holder is not the end user, in relation to tariff trials operated by water companies.

The Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to seasonal tariffs aiming to make bills more affordable and is engaging with industry leaders to drive further progress. Ofwat called on companies to conduct charging trials, such as seasonal tariffs, aimed at supporting affordability and other sustainability goals such as reducing demand and have amended their charging rules to make it easier to conduct trials. Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. Ofwat regulates charging trials by requiring companies to set fair charges for all customers, and ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. There are several trials taking place, or planned, across all companies between now and 2030. These trials could benefit consumers by making water bills more affordable for more households. Companies must consult with the Consumer Council for Water in developing their trials to ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place ensuring vulnerable consumers are adequately protected or excluded from the trials.

Food and Rural Affairs, what definition her Department will use of a small farm for the purposes of the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive.

We will provide more detail on the new SFI offer at the NFU Conference in February ahead of publishing the full scheme details before the first application window opens in June.