Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take legislative steps to ensure that all new washing machines are fitted with a 50-micron microfibre filter by 2030.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to ensure that storm overflows cause no environmental harm in protected landscapes by 2035.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will take legislative steps to stop nitrates and phosphates entering protected landscapes.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will ban the use in veterinary medicine of any active pesticide substance deemed too harmful for use on crops.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will establish a central fund to enable local authorities and the Environment Agency to use their permissive powers to protect legacy coastal landfill sites.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will extend the regulation of pharmaceuticals and chemicals to ensure that they are licensed only where they do not have a negative impact on the natural environment.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward additional measures under the Animal Welfare Strategy for England relating to the sale and use of hand‑controlled electric shock collars for dogs.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome in dogs in the UK.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. In the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform to improve health and welfare, and also to improve understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders and consideration of sector evidence, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. Defra works with a range of sector organisations who are raising public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals. This includes via tools such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare’s Innate Health Assessment, Royal Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading scheme assessment for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and the Canine and Feline Sector Group Code of Practice for Dog Breeding. Many organisations have public facing campaigns to promote awareness such as Cats Protection, and the UK Brachycephalic Working Groups ‘stop and think’ campaign to prioritise health when purchasing dogs.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of breeding and ownership of brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. In the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform to improve health and welfare, and also to improve understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders and consideration of sector evidence, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. Defra works with a range of sector organisations who are raising public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals. This includes via tools such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare’s Innate Health Assessment, Royal Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading scheme assessment for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and the Canine and Feline Sector Group Code of Practice for Dog Breeding. Many organisations have public facing campaigns to promote awareness such as Cats Protection, and the UK Brachycephalic Working Groups ‘stop and think’ campaign to prioritise health when purchasing dogs.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has identified any crop protection products currently approved in Great Britain but not in the European Union that may be affected by regulatory alignment.

The UK-EU SPS agreement is under negotiation and pesticides regulations are in scope. The Common Understanding sets out that the United Kingdom, acting in respect of Great Britain, will dynamically align with all the relevant European Union rules. My Department’s analysis of divergence between the UK and EU regulatory decisions is ongoing. This has greatly benefited from evidence and insight from business, which is informing the approach to negotiations and implementation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. In the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform to improve health and welfare, and also to improve understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders and consideration of sector evidence, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. Defra works with a range of sector organisations who are raising public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals. This includes via tools such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare’s Innate Health Assessment, Royal Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading scheme assessment for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and the Canine and Feline Sector Group Code of Practice for Dog Breeding. Many organisations have public facing campaigns to promote awareness such as Cats Protection, and the UK Brachycephalic Working Groups ‘stop and think’ campaign to prioritise health when purchasing dogs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the feasibility and ecological impact of reintroducing the Eurasian lynx to woodland areas in England.

Defra has not undertaken any formal assessment of the feasibility and ecological impact of reintroducing the Eurasian lynx to woodland areas in England.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of representation of the horticultural industry on the Farming and Food Partnership Board.

The first meeting of the Board took place on 25 March 2026 with an initial membership of 7 industry leads and experts. Together, this initial group provided coverage and expertise across farming and food production, distribution, processing and manufacturing, and the domestic and international markets. This group considered the need for additional members ahead of the next Board meeting. The first meeting agreed the Board’s work should be supported by additional task and finish sub-groups, as well as sector led groups developing Sector Growth Plans. Following the first meeting, the Board has invited the Horticulture Expert Growers Group to work with the Fruit & Veg Coalition and the Environmental Horticulture Group and immediately begin work on the first Sector Growth Plan for the horticultural sector. This will ensure that the expertise and insights of the horticultural industry are fully considered by the Board.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect hare populations in (a) West Sussex and (b) Chichester constituency.

The department has supported West Sussex County Council in preparing its Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is expected to be published shortly. This strategy will set nature‑recovery priorities and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species, such as hares.Nationally, protection of the brown hare population is provided through hare‑coursing legislation introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Together with improved police tactics, intelligence, and information sharing, it is reasonable to assume that these measures are reducing levels of hare coursing, which will play a part in the recovery of the species.In addition, the Government’s recently published Animal Welfare Strategy contains a commitment to consider introducing a close season on shooting brown hares.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing a statutory close season for the brown hare during its breeding period on levels of conservation.

The Government considers the need for a close season for hares to be justified primarily on the grounds of animal welfare. It committed to consider how to bring forward and introduce a close season for hares in England in its Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. In short, a close season should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, which runs from February to October, meaning that fewer leverets (infant hares) are left motherless and vulnerable to starvation and predation. A close season is also consistent with Natural England's advice on wildlife management that controlling species in their peak breeding season should be avoided unless genuinely essential and unavoidable. Defra has not made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a statutory close season for the brown hare during its breeding period on levels of conservation. The department is aware that while some stakeholders have suggested a close season running from February to October may provide capacity for brown hare population growth, others have argued that brown hare conservation would not necessarily be accelerated by a close season.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will consider the potential merits of exemptions to restrictions on importing docked dogs for recognised rescue charities rehoming dogs that were docked prior to rescue.

As outlined in the manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. Which is why the Government supported the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025. This Act will give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom. The Government will use these powers to prohibit dogs and cats being brought into Great Britain with non-exempted mutilations, such as docked tails and cropped ears. Any appropriate exemptions to these prohibitions will be delivered via secondary legislation at a later date. In the meantime, Defra will continue to work with stakeholders including rescue organisations and consider their feedback. The Government is clear that any exemptions will need to be finely balanced against the risk of creating loopholes that could be exploited by bad actors.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will update the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 to safeguard swans and other protected species from dogs.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 (as amended) protects “livestock” from worrying or attacks by dogs. The definition of livestock in the Act includes cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, poultry and camelids. The Government has no plans to further change this Act.

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of development will be exempt from biodiversity net gain requirements.

The department will publish Government responses to the biodiversity net gain (BNG) consultations in the new year. They will be accompanied by evidence annexes which will include the proportion of developments expected to be exempt from BNG following the changes announced in December. In December the Government announced it is proposing to introduce an area-based exemption for small sites that are 0.2 hectares or less and will also consult on an additional targeted exemption for residential brownfield development. National Park Authorities will continue to be able to engage with BNG, including providing off-site BNG units for developers who cannot achieve all of their BNG onsite. The Government is also introducing BNG for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects next year, which will support demand for units from the BNG off-site market.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to biodiversity net gain thresholds on the financial stability of National Parks.

The department will publish Government responses to the biodiversity net gain (BNG) consultations in the new year. They will be accompanied by evidence annexes which will include the proportion of developments expected to be exempt from BNG following the changes announced in December. In December the Government announced it is proposing to introduce an area-based exemption for small sites that are 0.2 hectares or less and will also consult on an additional targeted exemption for residential brownfield development. National Park Authorities will continue to be able to engage with BNG, including providing off-site BNG units for developers who cannot achieve all of their BNG onsite. The Government is also introducing BNG for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects next year, which will support demand for units from the BNG off-site market.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to provide additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation.

On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced the outcome of the Spending Review 2025. The Spending Review 2025 set departmental budgets until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending, and until 2029-30 for capital investment. Defra is currently conducting business planning, which will set budgets for Arms Length Bodies including the Marine Management Organisation. It is not possible to confirm additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation until this process has concluded.