Written questions by Mohamed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of prohibiting the sale of overseas hunting trips.

Whilst no assessment has been made of the merits of prohibiting overseas hunting trips, the Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. The Department continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust import ban. Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled A new vision for water, updated 19 February 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delaying fines to water companies on levels of compliance by water companies with the proposed regulatory regime.

Payment of fines is ultimately a matter for the regulator.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much the proposed new water regulator will cost; who will pay these costs; and what assessment she has made of the potential for these costs to be passed onto consumers in the form of higher bills.

Across all our reforms the goal is to deliver our key outcomes – environment, customers, investability – in the most effective and efficient way possible to ensure lasting value.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether CEOs of water have enhanced their salaries through other means, such as additional payments and salary rises, in the context of her Department's ban of unfair bonuses.

On 5 November 2025, Ofwat published its 2024-25 Performance related executive pay (PRP) assessment, which confirmed more than £4 million of unfair bonuses were blocked for 2024-25. The PRP assessment highlighted a lack of transparency around executive pay in the water sector. To address this, Ofwat has confirmed its intention to update the requirements for companies' annual regulatory reporting to require companies to publicly report in full the details of remuneration received by directors from the regulated, group and parent companies, including explanations of what the remuneration relates to. Ofwat will consult on these changes with the intention that it applies to company accounts for 2025-26. The Government expects companies to abide by both the letter and spirit of the bonus rule.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake an updated feasibility review of all the different ownership models relating to the provision of water in the United Kingdom.

There are several different ownership models in the companies providing water in the United Kingdom. Where a company requests to transition to a new ownership model, we have committed in the White Paper that the regulator will develop a transparent process. This process will assess whether the change should go ahead and ensure customer interests are properly reflected in the decision.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that retailers and supermarkets display clear and consistent animal welfare information on packing and labels to help consumers to make informed choices.

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to secure a debate on animal welfare and progress on the animal welfare strategy.

A Westminster Hall Debate on the Animal Welfare Strategy was held on 21 January 2026. Parliament will be updated in the usual way as the Strategy progresses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Food Standards Agency on the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling consultation; and if will she implement a mandatory method-of-production labelling on animal food products in England.

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if will she publish clear timelines for the delivery of all commitments in the Animal Welfare Strategy.

The Animal Welfare Strategy sets out the priority issues the Government will address, focusing on the changes and improvements Defra aims to achieve by 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time. Defra has already launched consultations on phasing out cages for laying hens and improving lamb welfare which run until 9 March. Defra has also confirmed that a public consultation seeking views on how to deliver a full ban on trail hunting will be held this year. Other commitments in the strategy will be taken forward in a phased approach to keep up momentum on improving the lives of millions of animals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of support for water social tariff across different regions; and what steps she is taking to ensure households in similar financial circumstances are treated equally.

Evidence shows that levels of social tariff provision vary between regions because each water company sets its own eligibility criteria and level of support. The Government keeps support schemes under review and expects industry to do the same to ensure vulnerable customers across the country are supported, and customers know what support schemes are available and how to access them if they need help. Water companies have more than doubled the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through social tariffs – from 4% to 9%.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to make water social tariff (a) eligibility, (b) discount levels and (c) application processes (i) transparent and (ii) subject to government oversight.

Defra expects water companies to ensure that their customers know what support schemes are available and how to access them if they need help. Companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks. Defra is working with water companies to ensure social tariffs are more consistent and taken up by those most in need.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise public awareness of the impact of methane-reducing feed additives used in livestock farming.

We have a system. Methane-reducing food products, including seaweed, oils and synthetic products such as Bovaer, are a key tool in reducing emissions from agriculture by up to one third. Bovaer is approved for use in 70 countries, including those in the EU, Switzerland, the US, Canada and Australia. We are building the market for safe, effective options and helping farmers to adopt them. Such products are approved by the Food Standards Agency, and that advice has not been changed. Bovaer has been reviewed by 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to amend the regulatory framework for waste (a) carriers, (b) brokers and (c) dealers to help reduce criminal activity in the sector.

The Government recently announced plans to tighten up the regulation of those who transport and manage waste services, moving them from a light-touch registration system into environmental permitting. This will give the Environment Agency a greater range of powers and more resources to be able to take action against those operating illegally. It will also introduce the possibility of up to 5 years imprisonment for those who breach these new laws.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of waste crime and illegal waste exports on the economy in each of the last five years.

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) estimated in 2021 that waste crime costs the economy in England about £1 billion per year. The ESA estimate that of that cost illegal waste exports amount to at least £42 million per year. (see here: ESA_Cost_of_Waste_Crime.pdf.)