Every parliamentary written question tabled by Layla Moran this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–7 of 7 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Rural Affairs, whether existing legislation prevents the Government from nationalising a water company.
The Water Act 1989 and the Water (Target Investment Limit) Order 1990 limit Government shareholdings in water companies to around 3% (exact figure differs by company). Nationalisation would need new primary legislation to require changes to water company ownership structures and compensate existing owners.
Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish a response to the consultation on reforming the approach to floods funding.
On 14 October 2025, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. Further information can be found here.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the disaggregation of local authority responsibilities in the context of local government reorganisation on (a) flood management and (b) resilience planning.
Lead Local Flood Authorities are required, under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, to develop and maintain a strategy for managing local flood risk. They also have a duty to collaborate with other flood risk management authorities and to keep a register of flood risk management assets. During the local government reorganisation process, councils continue to deliver their business‑as‑usual services and duties, which remain unchanged until reorganisation is complete. Commitments undertaken by existing councils will become the responsibility of any new unitary authorities, the exact details of which will be worked out and planned for in the transition period jointly with the new and predecessor councils. Local government reorganisation remains a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create stronger local councils empowered across local services, equipped to drive economic growth, improve local public services, and empower their communities.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether a letter of comfort or other formal assurance has been given to allow Thames Water to issue debt to finance South East Strategic Reservoir Option.
No letter of comfort or formal assurance has been provided by Defra to Thames Water on the financing of the White Horse Reservoir (formerly SESRO).
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of phasing out of the use of farrowing crates for pigs.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield, PQ UIN 41698.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to open the Property Resilience Repair Grant Scheme in the context of the floods in Oxfordshire on 22-24 November 2024.
The Property Flood Resilience (PFR) grant scheme can provide up to £5000 for eligible households and businesses to install PFR measures. The PFR grant scheme is typically activated alongside the Flood Recovery Framework (FRF) coordinated by MHCLG and only activated where there is large scale and widespread flooding. With localised flooding incidents, we expect Local Authorities to have well established contingency arrangements in place and to be able to respond and support their local communities within existing budgets. Below that local authorities provide support as needed. The flooding in November was not at the scale where we would expect to open FRF and PFR schemes. To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by building, maintaining, and repairing flood defences. Included in this programme, the Environment Agency is working proactively with local authorities to deliver Property Flood Resilience (PFR) projects, where it is cost beneficial to do so, in areas where PFR is the best solution for reducing flood risk. The EA’s PFR programme is focused on reducing risk to those households and businesses at the highest risk.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of frequent flooding on the (a) economy and (b) social cohesion of areas impacted.
Flood defences are critical to the protection of life and property and the effective functioning of the economy. Resilience and adaptation to the changing climate provide economic resilience and are key to supporting the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth. The Environment Agency gathers data on how flooding affects the economy. The economic losses from the winter 2019 to 2020 flooding are estimated to be about £333 million. However, the economic damage avoided because of the protection provided is at least 14 times greater, at around £4.6 billion to £9.3 billion. Around 36% of the damages caused by floods are to publicly owned infrastructure like roads, railways, schools and hospitals.