Every parliamentary written question tabled by Julian Lewis this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–5 of 5 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the legal requirement for fishermen to report marine mammal bycatch to the Marine Management Organisation is being fulfilled; and wh
The reporting of marine mammal bycatch is an important obligation and the requirement is communicated to the fishing industry at regular intervals by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) along with other applicable regulation. We take compliance serio...
Food and Rural Affairs, which techniques used by fishermen in UK waters are assessed by her Department to pose the most risk of inflicting bycatch losses; and what measures she will put in place to minimise s
Minister Hardy attended the launch of Wildlife and Countryside Link’s “Hidden in the Haul” report. The department is considering the report’s detail.To understand and address bycatch, Defra funds a range of initiatives including:The Bycatch Monitoring Pro...
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of the statistics published by Wildlife and Countryside Link showing the unintentional killing of (a) seals, (b) dolphins and (c
Minister Hardy attended the launch of Wildlife and Countryside Link’s “Hidden in the Haul” report. The department is considering the report’s detail.To understand and address bycatch, Defra funds a range of initiatives including:The Bycatch Monitoring Pro...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the extent to which the functions of (a) national parks, (b) Natural England, (c) the Environment Agency and (d) Forestry England are (i) clearly delineated, (ii) complementary and (iii) overlapping; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the number of these bodies.
The Government is conducting a full review of all Arm’s Length Bodies. This review is ongoing, and the outcomes will be published in due course. However, as National Parks are not classified as Arm’s Length Bodies, they are not included in the review.
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received from the Campaign for National Parks on the effectiveness of the Protected Landscapes Duty, introduced under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, in promoting (a) earlier consideration of environmental aspects of planning proposals, (b) cleaner rivers, (c) improved public transport for rural communities, (d) stronger local economies, (d) more wildlife and biodiversity recovery and (e) fairer public access to nature; and whether the impact of the Protected Landscapes Duty has fulfilled the principal recommendations of the 2019 Glover Review.
The Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Defra and MHCLG Secretaries of State and the Minister for Nature received a letter from the Campaign for National Parks on 7 October 2025 titled ‘Do not weaken the laws protecting National Parks and National Landscapes’. We will respond in due course. The Government is working with a range of partners to consider the impact of the Protected Landscapes Duty. The duty is intended to facilitate better outcomes for England’s Protected Landscapes, which are in line with their statutory purposes. The Government has published guidance on the Protected Landscapes duty to ensure public bodies operating in these areas, including water companies, deliver better environmental outcomes working together with Protected Landscape organisations.