Written questions by Morgan.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of agricultural land egg producers will require to comply with the proposed ban on colony cages.

In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out a general assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on the competitiveness and viability of UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a ban on colony cages on the agricultural land market.

In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out a general assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on the competitiveness and viability of UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to accept the recommendation of the Farming Profitability Review to introduce a requirement that the use of British branding on country-of-original labelling for food projects is underpinned by robust assurance schemes.

The Government knows that many consumers value the opportunity to buy British and support their local food economy The Farming Profitability Review points to areas where additional assurance schemes and refreshed voluntary principles could add value. The Government remains committed to upholding high standards of food information, whether on food labels or within hospitality settings. The fundamental rule that food labelling should not mislead already provides assurance that non-British food products cannot be labelled (or implied e.g. by the use of a Union flag) as being British. Defra officials have been assessing the recommendations and as a part of this continue to look at how the origin for food products may be better highlighted to ensure consumers can make informed choices wherever they purchase food.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that imported food products do not use British branding.

All food sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with UK food labelling rules. The fundamental principle of the UK’s food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. Under existing rules, food that is not classed as UK origin cannot be sold or labelled as being British. Processed foods and composite foods manufactured in the UK are British products, but if these contain a primary ingredient that is not British then a British claim can only be made on the label if the label also highlights that the primary ingredient is not British. Food simply re-packaged in the UK, without any further processing, does not confer UK origin on it.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her department is taking to help increase transparency in the dairy industry's supply chain.

The Government recognises the importance of transparency and fairness in the dairy supply chain, so that farmers and other suppliers are able to make informed decisions and receive a fair return for their produce. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which has applied to all milk contracts since July 2025, established new contractual requirements between dairy farmers and milk purchasers. The Regulations improve fairness and transparency, requiring dairy contracts to include clear terms on pricing, termination and prohibiting unilateral changes. The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) has been appointed to oversee and enforce these regulations, providing a route for complaints where parties believe the rules have not been followed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her department is taking to help ensure that risk in the food supply chain, for example in relation to drought and flooding, is not disproportionately shouldered by producers.

The Border Target Operating Model Impact Assessment frames economic analysis around business costs/benefits, check rates, and biosecurity risk. It does not model or quantify changes in food import volumes attributable to the post‑2020/BTOM border processes. Defra publishes statistics on overseas trade of food, feed and drink imports (Chapter 13: Overseas trade - GOV.UK). UK agri‑food import patterns are influenced by various factors, making it difficult to attribute changes to border processes alone. The latest official statistics show that in 2024 the value of UK food, feed and drink imports rose by 6.6% to £64.1 billion, with fresh fruit and vegetable imports increasing 12% over the same period.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her department holds on the profit margins for producers, processors and retailers at each stage in the milk supply chain.

The UK dairy industry is a resilient and dynamic sector operating in an open market where profit margins are established by the interaction of those in supply chains including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Defra does not collect or hold information on profit margins for individual businesses at any stage of the milk supply chain. Defra does, however, work closely with dairy sector supply chains to monitor the dairy market via engagement with industry stakeholders and through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group. Defra publishes information for England on the cost of production of milk in the Defra Farm Business Survey, and gross margins for dairy enterprises in England in Table 14.2 of Farm Business Survey Farm Accounts for England.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that UK egg producers are not undercut by egg imports of lower welfare standards.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the consultation on laying hen cage reform, is seeking views on that assessment. The consultation also seeks additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that imported egg products adhere to the same welfare standards as UK egg producers.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the consultation on laying hen cage reform, is seeking views on that assessment. The consultation also seeks additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the production costs for UK egg producers that would be associated with a ban on colony eggs.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the consultation on laying hen cage reform, is seeking views on that assessment. The consultation also seeks additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on the competitiveness and viability of UK egg producers.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the consultation on laying hen cage reform, is seeking views on that assessment. The consultation also seeks additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to laying hen welfare policy on the level of imports and exports of egg products.

The Government has carried out an assessment and, as part of the consultation on laying hen cage reform, is seeking views on that assessment. The consultation also seeks additional evidence on how the proposals will affect egg production costs and current levels of imports and exports. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at the government’s disposal to protect UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what conversations she has had with the British wool industry about addressing challenges in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained shearers each year.

With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock. We acknowledge that industry faces continued challenges each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained and highly proficient shearers, particularly when individuals can often only utilise these skills for a few months of the year during the short early summer shearing period. The department is also aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers as well as in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock. Defra continues to work closely with the industry in addressing the challenges they face and to encourage the continued promotion, take up, and delivery of British Wool’s programme to deliver training for domestic sheep shearers. In each of the last five years (2021-2025) British Wool has invested an average of £134,000 net costs in providing shearing training for between 798 and 898 people at skill levels ranging from beginners through to highly proficient commercial shearers.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to Questions 112298 and 112296, what steps her Department is taking with the British sheep industry to help address workforce availability of sheep shearers.

With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock. We acknowledge that industry faces continued challenges each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained and highly proficient shearers, particularly when individuals can often only utilise these skills for a few months of the year during the short early summer shearing period. The department is also aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers as well as in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock. Defra continues to work closely with the industry in addressing the challenges they face and to encourage the continued promotion, take up, and delivery of British Wool’s programme to deliver training for domestic sheep shearers. In each of the last five years (2021-2025) British Wool has invested an average of £134,000 net costs in providing shearing training for between 798 and 898 people at skill levels ranging from beginners through to highly proficient commercial shearers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what conversations she has had with the British wool industry about the impact of the Home Office's withdrawal of the visa concession for temporary employment as sheep shearers on the existing challenges of workforce availability faced by the industry.

I refer the hon. Member to the response given on 3 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe on to PQ UIN 114322.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she will be providing guidance to local authorities on the floods funding criteria that will be in place for the 2026-27 financial year.

As part of the Environment Agency's wider programme of improvements to implement the new Defra flood funding policy, the Environment Agency will publish updated project funding guidance for practitioners before 1st April 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her letter to the Environmental Audit Committee dated 30 January 2026, what steps she is taking to increase funding for flood risk management in local authority areas in instances where revenue funding from the Local Government Finance Settlement is being reduced.

Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion until 2036 to construct new flood schemes and repair existing defences. In October 2025 the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy – optimising funding between building new defences and maintaining existing ones. Deprived communities will continue to receive vital investment - at least 20% of future investment will help protect the most deprived communities over the next ten years. New projects will be prioritised based on value for money. The list of projects to receive Government funding will be agreed in the usual way, on an annual basis, through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. The final list of schemes to benefit in 2026/27 will be published in March 2026. Alongside our £10.5 billion investment, the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion, a 6.8% cash terms increase on 2024-2025. The majority of local Government funding is not ringfenced, recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the rising service pressures in their local areas, including on flood risk management.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact on farm businesses and the sheep industry of the withdrawal of visa concessions allowing for temporary employment of sheep shearers.

Defra recognises the good work that British Wool does in training domestic sheep shearers and the continued challenges the industry faces with a national sheep flock of around 30m sheep in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained shearers. We are also aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in recent years in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers and in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock. Defra continues to work with the industry in supporting the training of UK resident shearers. Visa concessions are a matter for the Home Office.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department has assessed the potential implications of levels of workforce availability of sheep shearers on animal welfare.

With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the good work that British Wool does in delivering training for domestic sheep shearers, the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock, and the continued challenges that the industry faces each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained shearers. We continue to work closely with the industry in addressing these challenges.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the contribution of British Wool's (a) sheep shearing training and (b) exchange with shearers and sheep farmers in Australia and New Zealand to farming in the UK.

With a national flock of around 30m sheep, British Wool provides a unique and valuable service, for around 30,000 registered wool producers across the UK, to collect, grade, promote, and sell their fleece wool to the global textile industry. British Wool is also the main provider and promoter of training for sheep shearers in the UK. In each of the last five years (2021-2025) British Wool has provided shearing training for between 798 and 898 people at skill levels ranging from beginners through to highly proficient commercial shearers. British Wool’s investment in this training includes subsidised courses for between 100- 200 young farmers a year. Defra is aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers and in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock.