Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

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.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Marine Management Organisation, (b) Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and (c) Environment Agency in tackling (i) illegal fishing and (ii) unsustainable fishing practices.

Defra works closely with the Marine Management Organisation, Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, and other organisations to make sure the appropriate arrangements to enforce fisheries regulations are in place to protect our waters. Building upon the vision for future technologies, outlined by the Government Office for Science, Defra is exploring continually how technology can innovate and enhance fisheries monitoring and surveillance methods to tackle illegal fishing and unsustainable fishing practices. A range of individual evaluations and policy documents regularly published online, such as at the .GOV.UK and IFCA websites, highlight each body's contributions, successes and challenges in these areas.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take (a) legislative and (b) other steps to reduce levels of (i) environmental planning conditions and (ii) biodiversity net gain requirements to help support horticulture businesses.

The Government has stated its intention to consult on changes to the planning policy framework later this year. On BNG, the Government recently consulted on options to improve the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. Responses are being analysed, including from Horticulture stakeholders, and the outcome of the consultation will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will consider appointing a cross-departmental Minister for Rural Communities.

Defra has responsibility for rural communities and leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to improve data processing at the Marine Management Organisation.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is working with Defra and the Government data community to improve the overall data management and governance of all data it holds. This work is guided by the Data Maturity Assessment for Government Framework and underpins the efficiency and quality of data processing by the MMO. More specifically, MMO is currently reviewing its Fisheries data and IT estate, and defining a longer-term strategic vision in order to drive investment in improving services for our customers, and the underpinning data quality which is vital in order to manage fisheries sustainably.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to confirm the number of Seasonal Worker visas that will be available for picking and packing fruit and vegetables in 2026.

The Government recognises that its vital farms have the labour they need to harvest their great British produce and grow their businesses. We’ve announced a 5-year extension to the seasonal worker visa route to provide stability and certainty to the horticulture sector and will set out the allocation for 2026 shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the rates for Extended Producer Responsibility fees for more recyclable materials.

The RAM has been used by producers to assess packaging recyclability from January 2025.  The RAM is an important aspect of pEPR as it will determine the modulation sub-category, and therefore the level of fees applicable to that material, with higher fees applied to less sustainable packaging. Fee modulation will begin from year two of the scheme for payments in the 2026/27 financial year, based on 2025 producer data. We have made a full impact assessment of implementing packaging extended producer responsibility will have which we published when The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 were laid before parliament. The Government will continue to monitor modulation to ensure fees reward improved recyclability.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of basing the calculation of Extended Producer Responsibility fees on volume.

The Government is not considering the adoption of a units-based metric. In accordance with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, Extender Producer Responsibility disposal fees for packaging are calculated in £ per tonne of household packaging placed on the market. Producers report the packaging they supply on a weight basis, and the costs for managing different material types, such as glass, are apportioned according to relevant cost drivers for their collection and management, including the volume of the container in bins and collection vehicles. This ensures the fair apportionment of costs between material types in line with the regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the chalk stream recovery pack.

Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health must be part of our holistic programme of reforms for the water sector, including: The Government’s wider agenda to reset the water sector and fix the systemic issues in the water framework, continued investment in actual projects at the catchment level, committing to end damaging abstraction of water from rivers and groundwater, driving home the responsibilities for responsible authorities around protected landscapes, many of which feature chalk streams.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to enable (a) local authorities and (b) the police to effectively (i) target and (ii) prosecute (A) individuals and (B) businesses engaged in illegal fly-tipping on (1) private and (2) public land.

Local councils are responsible for taking enforcement action in most fly-tipping incidents. Their powers include issuing fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, prosecution action and seizing vehicles. We encourage councils to make good use of their powers, and we are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance. We have also announced a review of local authority powers to seize and crush the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool. We also committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course. Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders such as local authorities and the National Police Chiefs Council to promote good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping, including on private land. Various practical tools, such as a guidance on how local authorities can present robust cases to court, are available from their webpage at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group#.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of (a) Smoke Control Areas and (b) Ecodesign regulations, in the context of the impact of domestic log burners on air quality.

Since the introduction of Smoke Control Areas in 1956 emissions from domestic combustion have reduced significantly. However, domestic combustion is a major source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions in the UK, and wood stove ownership is increasing. Whilst we are not required to carry out an assessment of the effectiveness of Smoke Control Areas or Ecodesign regulation we have commissioned reports in both areas. Kantar prepared a report on Burning in UK Homes and Gardens for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2020. This report included an analysis of burning in Smoke Control Areas, and can be found at Report: Burning in UK homes and gardens (plus a number of annexes) - Defra, UK Ricardo prepared reports on Emission Factors for Domestic Solid Fuels Project which for Defra in 2024. These include details of emission factors using Ecodesign-compliant stoves compared to other types of stoves. These can be found at WP1 - Report: Emission Factors for Domestic Solid Fuels Project - Work Package 1 Report - Defra, UK and Ricardo report template The final report in this series is due to be published shortly on Air Quality Library - Defra, UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the conclusions within his Department's Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Post Implementation Review 2024, published in December 2024; and whether he plans to introduce regulatory requirements and conditions relating to cat breeding.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations), anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse, vary or revoke licences. The Government is considering the findings of its post-implementation review of the 2018 Regulations and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to regulate cat breeding.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutor...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of restricting the use of treble barbed fishhooks in England and Wales.

The use of barbed hooks is currently restricted by several byelaws covering specific fisheries in areas throughout England and Wales. The suitability and need for these restrictions will continue to be monitored and may inform changes if appropriate, howe...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the rules on beaver (a) protection and (b) management.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government has no plans to review the rules on beaver protection. Beavers are a protected species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to (a) help encourage and (b) publish a strategy for the reintroduction of beavers into the wild.

We understand the potential benefits that beavers can bring, including through creating wetland habitats and increasing biodiversity. The Government supports species reintroductions where there are clear benefits for nature, people and the environment. Al...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Southern Water's proposal to introduce recycled waste water in to the drinking water supply at the Havant Thicket Reservoir on the environment.

Southern Water have recently consulted on their proposal to turn treated wastewater, normally pumped out to sea, into purified recycled water. This water would then be pumped to Havant Thicket Reservoir, where it would be stored and mixed with spring water, before being pumped along a new pipeline and treated prior to going into supply.The urgent need to protect the iconic chalk rivers of Hampshire means that action is needed now to ensure resilient and sustainable water supplies. Options such as water recycling mark a transition to water supplies that are not dependent upon the uncertainties of rainfall. These options are well established elsewhere around the world and are already operating elsewhere in the UK, to ensure resilient supplies in a changing climate.All water recycling options including Southern Water’s must meet the environmental requirements for wastewater treatment discharges into the environment. Water re-abstracted from the environment for public water supply must also be treated to meet our high drinking water standards before use, in accordance with a robust risk assessment.Recent research carried out for the Drinking Water Inspectorate indicated a high level of support (79% agreement) for the use of water recycling to supplement drinking water supplies.An online survey and in-depth, online interviews were undertaken between July and September 2022. The online survey had 1,618 respondents with demographic representation broadly consistent with the UK adult population. Survey respondents were randomly allocated to groups so that the impact of two manipulated variables (relating to water recycling scheme design and to terminology) could be investigated. Overall, the survey showed that there was a relatively high Ref: DWI 70/2/348. Project Report ii level of support (79% agreement) for the utilisation of water recycling to supplement drinking water supplies. The survey results also showed that terminology has a stronger influence on levels of support for water recycling than scheme configuration (e.g. the presence of environmental buffers).