Written questions by Hollinrake.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64767 on Waster Charges: Social Tariff, what recent estimate Ofwat has made of the (a) average cost to households of the cross-subsidy for social tariffs and (b) potential impact of proposed changes to social tariffs on the average cost to households in each year between 2025 and 2030.

At PR24 Ofwat challenged companies to address customer concerns about the affordability of water bills in the 2025-2030 period and asked them to set out the measures that they would take and how they would fund these measures.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64498 on Waste Disposal: Fixed Penalties, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.

This Government has not made an assessment of the potential implications for the department’s policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test. The principles of the Regulators Code apply to enforcement action carried out by local authorities. This includes that regulatory activity should be carried out in a way which is proportionate, transparent, accountable and consistent. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise existing enforcement powers.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64455 on Water Charges, whether households are able to opt-out of pilots on (a) rising block tariffs and progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water metering.

The Government is committed to delivering for customers. Following the Independent Water Commission report, the Government will establish a new statutory water ombudsman - a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills. Additionally, the amount of compensation customers are legally entitled to when key standards are not met has been more than doubled. Further updates to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme are due to come into force in October. Several water companies are currently trialling a range of charging approaches, such as seasonal tariffs and rising block tariffs. Through these trials the sector will learn how to best support customers with their water bills. Companies are responsible for their own charges and for designing and running their trials to test new charging structures. Companies can design their trials in a range of ways within the good practice principles for charging trials outlined by Ofwat. In designing their trials, companies are required to consult with the Consumer Council for Water to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable consumers or exclude them from trials where appropriate.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57663, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, how social tariffs will be funded; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of social tariffs on the residential customer bills of people who are not on a social tariff.

Social Tariffs are voluntary schemes designed and administered by water companies to provide a discounted water bill to qualifying customers who are unable to pay their water bill in full. These schemes are permitted to be funded through cross subsidies from customers under Section 44 Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The Government is working with industry and Ofwat to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and customer charges are fair and proportionate.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has provided to public authorities on what are reasonable charges under the Environmental Information Regulations regime.

The Department does not have a role in providing guidance to public authorities on reasonable charges under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. This is because the Freedom of Information Act 2000 sets out the general functions of the Information Commissioner in its section 47. These include disseminating information on the operation of the Act, good practice, and other matters within the scope of his functions under the Act. Regulation 16 of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 imports the general functions of the Commissioner, with the necessary modifications to references as required for the purposes of comprehension. The Commissioner has therefore published specific guidance on charging for environmental information on his website, including how a public authority can ensure that any charges are reasonable.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61181,on Coastal Erosion: Flood Control, how much capital funding for flood defence his Department has allocated for each year of the 10 year infrastructure programme.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this Government is investing record levels in flood protection. We are investing £4.2 billion over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to construct new flood schemes and maintain and repair existing defences across the country. Recognising the need to invest for the long-term, the Government is providing certainty over the budget for flood defences by committing £7.9 billion of capital (2026-27 to 2035-36) for a new 10-year floods investment programme, benefitting around 840,000 properties by 2035-36. This programme will launch in April 2026. The profile of spend will be determined in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of seasonal water tariffs on households with gardens.

Several water companies are trialling a range of progressive charging approaches. Ofwat as the regulator requires companies to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. Through these trials the sector will learn how to best support households with their water bills.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61181 on Coastal Erosion: Flood Control, whether the quantum of the £2.65 billion funding over 2024-25 and 2025-26 has been amended since 4 July 2024.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this government announced in February 2025 that it will spend £2.65 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26, an average of £1.33 billion per year. This investment compares to £1.05 billion spent under the previous government in 2023/24 and £950 million in 2022/23. This Government has also announced the largest flood programme in history – committing a record £7.9 billion capital investment as part of its landmark 10-year Infrastructure Strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Government on their Collections Blueprint 2025.

No such discussions have taken place, however regular engagement take place with the devolved governments on matters of shared interest as necessary, including at the Interministerial Group (EFRA)

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 55440 on National Landscapes, for what reason work has stopped on the (a) Cheshire Sandstone Ridge and (b) Chiltern National Landscapes.

Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations. Given the pressures on public finances, Defra has had to make difficult decisions about funding. It was not affordable to continue Defra funding to Natural England to continue the new National Landscapes designations programme in 25/26. As such, Natural England have made the decision to keep working on some of the planned programme – including the Chilterns boundary review and the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge assessment. Other elements of the programme, including the Surrey Hills boundary review and potential new National Landscape in the Yorkshire Wolds, are being maintained and progressed as the work was further advanced. Defra is prioritising supporting our existing Protected Landscapes to ensure they remain a source of national pride. We are committed to empower them to become greener, wilder and more accessible. The existing boundary for the Chilterns National Landscape is unaffected and remains in place.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57278 on Water Charges, if he will make it his policy to prevent water companies from using (a) rising block tariffs and progressive and (b) seasonal water metering for households.

The Government welcomes companies’ willingness to trial innovative new approaches to charging customers in order to make bills more affordable and improve water efficiency, putting pounds back in the pockets of working families. Several water companies are trialling a range of progressive charging approaches. Ofwat as the regulator requires companies to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles. Through these trials the sector will learn how to best support households with their water bills.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities on the use of fixed-penalty notices for households for minor waste receptacle issues.

In England, local authorities have limited powers to issue fixed penalties to households relating to waste receptacle requirements. Defra is not proposing changes to this position as part of Simpler Recycling reforms and has not conducted discussions with local authorities on the use of these powers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether water companies are permitted to fund social tariffs by passing costs to other residential customers.

Social Tariffs are voluntary schemes designed and administered by water companies to provide a discounted water bill to qualifying customers who are unable to pay their water bill in full. These schemes are permitted to be funded through cross subsidies from customers under s44 Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Natural England on the effectiveness of its guidance entitled Bats: advice for making planning decisions, last updated on 7 April 2025.

In April 2025, Natural England (NE) published updated standing advice on protected species, including bats. This update is aligned with the Government’s radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth. The revised advice provides Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) with clearer, more accessible guidance. NE simplified the content by removing unnecessary links to lengthy documents that LPAs do not need to review when making planning decisions. The guidance now also recommends that LPAs consult qualified ecologists for specific queries related to surveys and assessments, cutting time and cost for developers. NE will assess the need for further updates as part of their ongoing commitment to make guidance more proportionate and streamlined for stakeholders as part of its planning and regulatory reforms.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 3 June 2025, HCWS680, on Consulting on a reformed approach to investing in flood resilience and coastal erosion, how much of the £2.65 million in funding was originally allocated by the previous Government.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this Government is investing a record £2.65 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26 for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. With this funding, 1,000 flood schemes have been or will continue to be supported, better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026. This Government has also announced the largest flood programme in history – committing a record £7.9 billion capital investment as part of its landmark 10-year Infrastructure Strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the consultation document on making the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse statutory guidance.

A copy of the consultation document on publishing statutory litter enforcement guidance will be deposited in the Library. This consultation was run in March 2024 under the previous Government. This Government has yet to make a decision on whether to publish statutory guidance. Any decision will be announced in the usual way. Following this, we would expect to release a consultation response.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for responding to the consultation on making the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse statutory, which closed in April 2024.

A copy of the consultation document on publishing statutory litter enforcement guidance will be deposited in the Library. This consultation was run in March 2024 under the previous Government. This Government has yet to make a decision on whether to publish statutory guidance. Any decision will be announced in the usual way. Following this, we would expect to release a consultation response.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether expenditure on (a) swift bricks and (b) bee houses and biomes for new-build homes can be counted towards biodiversity net gain units.

No, expenditure on swift bricks, bee houses and bee biomes cannot be counted towards biodiversity net gain (BNG) units which must be calculated using the main Statutory BNG metric or the small sites version of it.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average water usage per household is in volume terms by number of (a) bedrooms and (b) occupants.

This information is publicly available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-resources-2023-2024-analysis-of-the-water-industrys-annual-water-resources-performance/water-resources-2023-2024-analysis-of-the-water-industrys-annual-water-resources-performance

Food and Rural Affairs, what the source of revenue to fund social tariffs under Section 13 of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 is; and whether costs will be imposed (a) directly and (b) indirectly on the water bills of residential customers who do not have social tariffs.

This Government is working with industry to ensure that eligible customers across the country get the support to which they are entitled.