Written questions by Fenton-Glynn.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing a presumption against building onshore wind developments on deep peat on the Government’s (a) biodiversity and (b) peatland restoration targets.

The Government has considered the impact of planning regulation around wind farm development on peatland restoration and biodiversity. The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands for biodiversity, water, and carbon storage. That’s why we are investing significantly in protecting and restoring nature, including peatlands. There are existing protections for peatland habitats within the National Policy Planning Framework. In addition, this Government recently consulted on updated National Policy Statements for renewable energy development, which included updated guidance around peatland and onshore wind developments.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department’s policies of the level of harvest yields in 2025.

Our fantastic British farmers are world-leaders and carefully plan their planting to suit the weather, their soil type, and their long-term agronomic strategy. We continue to engage and work closely with industry and to monitor domestic food production, including harvest. The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was established under the Devolution Framework, brings Defra and Devolved Governments together to monitor the UK market across all key agricultural commodities.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many social media accounts his Department operates; and how much his Department spent on social media (a) subscriptions and (b) advertisements on each social media platform in each of the last three years.

The Government communicates across a range of media channels in order to reach its target audience effectively. Channels are selected based on whether they will reach the intended audience on a specific issue to have the most impact. Social media is an essential part of government communications and is used to inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests. Defra currently operates 18 accounts across its policy areas and functions. To our knowledge, Defra does not have regular social media subscriptions. Departmental marketing spend for the last 3 years on social advertisements is detailed below: DEFRA Social Investment by year (H1/H2)2021LinkedInMETATwitterNext DoorTotalH1 Jan-Jun£24,047£127,757£1,088 £152,892H2 Jul-Dec £66,756 £66,7562022LinkedInMETATwitterNext DoorTotalH1 Jan-Jun£7,045£176,713 £183,758H2 Jul-Dec £44,114 £44,1142023LinkedInMETATwitterNext DoorTotalH1 Jan-Jun £94,121 £94,121H2 Jul-Dec£3,570£125,930 £129,5002024LinkedInMETATwitterNext DoorTotalH1 Jan-Jun £174,872 £11,785£186,657H2 Jul-Dec £60,320 £60,320