Written questions by Naish.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) introduce (i) licensing and (ii) regulation for dog and cat rescue centres and (b) prevent fraudulent operations at unregulated rescue centres.

This Government will introduce the most ambitious plan to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department has initiated a series of meetings with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of an overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more detail of plans in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered introducing a farm business investment loan scheme with a subsidised interest rate; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (a) resilience and (b) productivity in farming businesses facing (i) commercial and (ii) weather-related pressures.

Defra officials regularly engage with financial institutions providing farm lending, and we will continue to work to explore further opportunities to improve farmers' access to finance. This builds on the £110 million in farming grants announced earlier this year starting in 2025/6. These grants aim to support innovation and productivity investment within the farming sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of climate-related events in 2023–24 on the financial resilience of farm businesses; and whether he plans to provide additional support to assist recovery.

We know climate change presents challenges to the agricultural sector. The government is offering a New Deal for Farmers to help address this. We are providing farmers and land managers with the support needed to help restore nature, which is vital to safeguard our long-term food security and build resilience to climate change. In the recent spending review we committed to carrying on the transition towards paying to deliver public goods for the environment, with over £7 billion directed into nature’s recovery between 2026 and 2029. This includes environmental farming schemes (£5.9 billion), tree planting (£816 million) and peatland restoration (£85 million). To address the impacts of flooding on farmers and rural communities, we will be investing £4.2 billion over three years in flood defences across the country – an average of £1.4bn each year and a 5% increase compared to the current spending review period.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of exempting agricultural development from Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

We are currently consulting on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development. This includes a range of options looking at how threshold exemptions are used which will cover some agricultural developments.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of digital-only (a) services and (b) reporting requirements on farming businesses.

Defra seeks to introduce services that are digital by default which help users to succeed first time, and an assisted digital route is provided for those who are unable to complete a service online. This equally applies to reporting requirements on farming businesses, the main requirement being the Annual Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture which is digital by default but also available as a paper survey form.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on issuing guidance to local planning authorities on giving further weight to food production in rural planning decisions.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) safeguards the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of higher quality. Defra is working with MHCLG on policy and guidance to ensure that planning decisions made by local planning authorities are informed by the impacts on food production. Later this year, the Government will publish a Land Use Framework for England, which will set out the evidence, data and tools needed to support development that safeguards our most productive agricultural land.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the yoghurt industry to economic growth in the dairy sector.

No such assessment has been made. We have a vibrant, resilient and productive dairy sector which produces a range of healthy nutritious products which bring value of £5-£6 billion at farm level, and many times higher when that milk is processed into a diverse range of products and commodities, such as yogurt. This has helped make the dairy industry the UK’s largest agricultural sector accounting for 19% of total 2023 UK agricultural output, bringing significant value to our economy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) capacity and (b) capability of the Animal and Plant Health Agency to respond to a major outbreak of exotic animal disease.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leads Government action on animal disease control and has outbreak response plans in place. These include measures to contract companies to support eradication and cover such matters as the deployment of non-Government vets and experts in culling and disposal. APHA also work closely with other agencies from within the Defra group to provide additional capacity. Response capabilities are kept under regular review and appropriate action initiated where additional operational support is required, including the potential to make a request for assistance under the military aid to the civil authorities (MACA) process. Additionally, to safeguard and enhance the internationally recognised position of the APHA Weybridge laboratory as a hub of scientific excellence for high-risk animal diseases, £208 million of funding for the next stage of the laboratory’s redevelopment up to 2026 has been approved.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to ensure that food producers are not undercut by imports produced to lower standards.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We recognise farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards. We will protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to help improve the (a) recording and (b) traceability of farm animals through the Livestock Information Service.

The Government’s ambition is to achieve a comprehensive, multispecies Livestock Information Service, allowing disease to be identified and controlled more effectively, helping to meet our key priority of supporting farmers to boost our food security. Through its Livestock Information Transformation Programme (LITP), Defra will replace existing livestock traceability systems across England, enhancing digitisation of livestock movement reporting, reducing paper use, and introducing electronic cattle tagging by 2027. It will deliver near real-time, accurate data to improve traceability, accelerate disease response, and better protect public and animal health. We are working with the devolved Governments to ensure that similar changes being made in Scotland and Wales work together effectively across Great Britain.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered introducing a centrally-funded veterinary surveillance scheme to support early detection of animal disease.

Our existing animal health surveillance arrangements are robust and we monitor for new and emerging threats to our biosecurity through our Veterinary Risk Group (VRG) and the Human and Animal Infections Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) Group. We are not considering a new centrally funded veterinary surveillance scheme at this time, outside of those for specific diseases where reasons for government intervention have been identified. However, the scope of our veterinary surveillance schemes are kept under regular review by the United Kingdom Surveillance Forum (UKSF) Keepers, vets in practice and farmers have a crucial role in surveillance as the 'eyes and ears' of animal health and welfare, investigating herd and flock health and production problems on a daily basis across the country. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leads government action on animal disease. In addition to APHA’s work to monitor and respond to reports of notifiable disease in animals, APHA offers services to vets and animal keepers on behalf of Defra through a national network of Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs), which can provide diagnostic tests, post-mortem examinations and advice from their resident veterinary investigation officers and through surveillance pathology partners, independent institutions which also offer subsidised post-mortem examinations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase the number of veterinary professionals in the farming sector; and what plans he has to reform the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to enable more use of paraprofessionals.

Defra is exploring various avenues to improve the short- and long-term capacity issues in the veterinary sector. We have engagement with the veterinary profession and other relevant stakeholders, including veterinary schools and government organisations to work together to find sustainable solutions, ensuring the ongoing provision of high-quality veterinary surgeons both in the private and public sectors. The Government is also engaged with the veterinary profession and stakeholders to review opportunities for reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA), including the role of allied professionals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure on-site biodiversity net gains offsets are (a) formally registered and (b) adequately monitored.

The Government has provided over £35 million of new burdens funding to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), county councils and combined authorities thus far to help them implement mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG). The uses to which the funding can be put are broad and there is no definitive list as requirements will differ across authorities. Some of this funding may be used for monitoring and enforcement responsibilities, including for ‘on-site’ BNG requirements. Decisions on any further funding are subject to the outcome of the spending review. All significant on-site BNG must be legally secured by a planning condition, planning obligation or conservation covenant for 30 years. If a developer does not meet BNG requirements they may be in breach of the planning condition or legal agreement, and the LPA has a range of planning enforcement powers and may take enforcement action. Where significant on-site gains are secured by a conservation covenant, the responsible body is responsible for enforcing the agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of ringfencing funding for local authorities from planning fees for (a) monitoring and (b) enforcing on-site biodiversity net gain.

The Government has provided over £35 million of new burdens funding to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), county councils and combined authorities thus far to help them implement mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG). The uses to which the funding can be put are broad and there is no definitive list as requirements will differ across authorities. Some of this funding may be used for monitoring and enforcement responsibilities, including for ‘on-site’ BNG requirements. Decisions on any further funding are subject to the outcome of the spending review. All significant on-site BNG must be legally secured by a planning condition, planning obligation or conservation covenant for 30 years. If a developer does not meet BNG requirements they may be in breach of the planning condition or legal agreement, and the LPA has a range of planning enforcement powers and may take enforcement action. Where significant on-site gains are secured by a conservation covenant, the responsible body is responsible for enforcing the agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) resources, (b) mechanisms and (c) funding his Department plans to make available to enable effective (i) monitoring and (ii) enforcement of on-site biodiversity net gain.

The Government has provided over £35 million of new burdens funding to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), county councils and combined authorities thus far to help them implement mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG). The uses to which the funding can be put are broad and there is no definitive list as requirements will differ across authorities. Some of this funding may be used for monitoring and enforcement responsibilities, including for ‘on-site’ BNG requirements. Decisions on any further funding are subject to the outcome of the spending review. All significant on-site BNG must be legally secured by a planning condition, planning obligation or conservation covenant for 30 years. If a developer does not meet BNG requirements they may be in breach of the planning condition or legal agreement, and the LPA has a range of planning enforcement powers and may take enforcement action. Where significant on-site gains are secured by a conservation covenant, the responsible body is responsible for enforcing the agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his speech at the NFU conference on 25 February 2025, whether the requirement for government catering contracts to favour high-welfare products will be determined with reference to the highest welfare tiers set out in his Department's proposed animal welfare label in the Fairer Food Labelling consultation which closed in May 2024.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the Government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts. This includes sourcing products from all farmed animals which have been raised to high UK welfare standards as defined in current animal welfare legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to tackle (a) wildlife crime, (b) hare coursing and (c) badger baiting.

Wildlife crime is unacceptable. Defra is providing £424,000 for the National Wildlife Crime (NWCU) in 2025-2026. The NWCU helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and assisting law enforcers with investigations. This government recognises the importance of tackling rural crimes such as hare coursing. A package of measures introduced in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 broadened the circumstances in which police can investigate and bring charges for hare coursing-related activity. This legislation, as well as improved police tactics, intelligence and information sharing and the use of community protection notices and criminal behaviour orders appears to be having an impact on reducing hare coursing offences. Badger persecution is one of the seven UK wildlife crime priorities. A police-led Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group works to tackle horrific criminal offences like badger baiting. Anyone found guilty of these activities should be subject to the full force of the law. The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provide protection against certain methods of killing, injuring, or taking of badgers, or interference with their setts.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Animal Welfare Committee’s December 2024 report recommendation to ban any further deliberate breeding of domestic cats with any non-domestic felid species.

The Government welcomes the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion on the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices. We are carefully considering the Committee’s recommendations.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that sugar beet growers receive an adequate price for their product.

The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production. We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the last time was that Animal and Plant Health Agency IT systems were upgraded.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has a wide range of applications and IT systems all of which require maintenance, update, and refresh As these activities are regular and carried out independently per system, each year work is continually undertaken to assess and then either remediate, modernise or replace IT systems The level of development undertaken depends on several factors including government investment during a Spending Review period, evidence from formal IT Health Checks and an assessment of the level of risk held within the IT estate Defra has different programmes underway which invest in the APHA's IT estate, including the Legacy Application Programme and the APHA's Delivering Sustainable Futures programme. The Delivering Sustainable Futures programme seeks to enhance the APHA's IT estate by developing modern, stable, lower cost and more interoperable IT architecture.