Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a government backed screening of the 'National Emergency Briefing' to the nation.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of PFAS chemicals on the environment in Devon.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect marine conservation areas.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department will take to enforce the proposed ban on bottom trawling in marine conservation areas.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of re-introducing the Eurasian lynx to britain.

Defra is committed to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of formerly native species where the benefits for the environment, people and the economy are clear. To maximise benefits and minimise risks, it is important that species reintroductions are conducted carefully.No decision has been taken on the reintroduction of Eurasian lynx. Any proposal to reintroduce this species would need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, informed by a full assessment of ecological, social and economic impacts. Large predators present some significant challenges and impacts that would need to be overcome and managed prior to the consideration of their reintroduction.

Food and Rural Affair, what steps she has taken to align the United Kingdom as a part 1 listed status with the EU in relation to pet travel into the EU.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support rewilding in Devon.

Rewilding projects tend to be run by environmental NGOs and private organisations. Defra’s focus is to support nature recovery through a range of mechanisms, funding and policies. While Defra does not lead on nature recovery projects directly, it supports Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry England in their regulatory and partnership roles at a local level – including in Devon. Examples range from local projects such as species reintroductions to catchment scale habitat and river restoration, providing benefits to people and nature.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help support the expansion of real-time bathing water quality monitoring.

The Government introduced the Water Special Measures Act (2025), requiring real-time monitoring at every emergency overflow so the public can see what is happening locally, including in many bathing waters.100% of storm overflows have been fitted with event duration monitors (EDMs) since the end of 2023, and since the 1st of January 2025, water companies have been required to publish this data in near real-time. The Environment Agency’s existing practices for monitoring and classification of bathing waters in England are based on the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for the management of recreational waters and exceed the minimum requirements of the Bathing Water Directive at all Bathing Waters. All sample results are made available to the public as soon as they are analysed via the Swimfo website, so the public can make informed decisions about bathing. Throughout the bathing season, the EA also makes daily pollution risk forecasts for bathing waters where water quality may be temporarily reduced due to factors such as heavy rainfall, wind or the tide.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local bathing water monitoring frameworks developed by local authorities on national policy.

The Environment Agency has an ongoing statutory duty to monitor the water quality at designated bathing water sites in England in line with the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. I would encourage any local authority that is interested in developing a local framework to share their plans with Defra officials so that Defra can understand any interaction with national legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of using real-time water quality monitoring on improving bathing water management.

The Government introduced the Water Special Measures Act (2025), requiring real-time monitoring at every emergency overflow so the public can see what is happening locally, including in many bathing waters.100% of storm overflows have been fitted with event duration monitors (EDMs) since the end of 2023, and since the 1st of January 2025, water companies have been required to publish this data in near real-time. The Environment Agency’s existing practices for monitoring and classification of bathing waters in England are based on the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for the management of recreational waters and exceed the minimum requirements of the Bathing Water Directive at all Bathing Waters. All sample results are made available to the public as soon as they are analysed via the Swimfo website, so the public can make informed decisions about bathing. Throughout the bathing season, the EA also makes daily pollution risk forecasts for bathing waters where water quality may be temporarily reduced due to factors such as heavy rainfall, wind or the tide.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions has she had with voluntary organisations and citizen science groups play in monitoring bathing water.

The Environment Agency has carried out a number of initiatives involving citizen scientists. For bathing waters it has recently rolled out the ‘Hello lamppost’ initiative where people can scan QR codes at specific bathing waters to provide it with information on the number of bathers at that location as well as get access to customised AI driven responses to any questions they have. It is also considering how to develop the Blueprint initiative which allows anyone with a smartphone to provide it with information linked to the water body they are at.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Torbay Council on its development of a localised bathing water framework.

The Chief Scientist of the Environment Agency was present at the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW) ‘Safe to Swim Forum’ in September 2025, where the Director of Operations for Devon and Torbay combined County Authority presented on the economic and social importance of bathing waters in the region.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste at the University of Exeter on bathing water monitoring and standards.

The Chief Scientist of the Environment Agency presented at the ‘Safe to Swim Forum’ meeting at the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste in September 2025 on the Environment Agency’s science relating to bathing waters. Existing practices for monitoring and classification in the UK mirror the European Commission’s Bathing Water Directive which is based on the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for management of recreational waters.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of locally developed bathing water frameworks that differ from national and international standards.

The Environment Agency has an ongoing statutory duty to monitor the water quality at designated bathing water sites in England in line with the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. I would encourage any local authority that is interested in developing a local framework to share their plans with Defra officials so that Defra can understand any interaction with national legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to increase the involvement of voluntary and citizen science groups in bathing water monitoring programmes.

The Environment Agency has carried out a number of initiatives involving citizen scientists. For bathing waters it has recently rolled out the ‘Hello lamppost’ initiative where people can scan QR codes at specific bathing waters to provide it with information on the number of bathers at that location as well as get access to customised AI driven responses to any questions they have. It is also considering how to develop the Blueprint initiative which allows anyone with a smartphone to provide it with information linked to the water body they are at.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that bathing water quality standards are not reduced.

The Government is committed to improving the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses it. The Environment Agency’s practice for monitoring water quality at bathing water sites reflects the European Commission’s Bathing Water Directive and the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for management of recreational waters. There are no plans to change this.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to maintain bathing water quality standards in line with international benchmarks, including those of the World Health Organisation and the Blue Flag programme.

The Government is committed to improving the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses it. The Environment Agency’s practice for monitoring water quality at bathing water sites reflects the European Commission’s Bathing Water Directive and the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for management of recreational waters. There are no plans to change this.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 115602, for what reasons Wolborough Fen SSSI is not included among the catchments selected by Natural England for early Environmental Delivery Plans, regarding a) the criteria used by Natural England when identifying catchments for initial Environmental Delivery Plans, and, b) the factors considered when determining whether a hydrologically sensitive site such as Wolborough Fen SSSI should fall within an early Environmental Delivery Plan area.

The first Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) have been prioritised for designated sites where nutrient neutrality advice applies on the basis that it is a known environmental pressure where strategic solutions already exist. Wolborough Fen SSSI is not a designated site which nutrient neutrality currently applies to. The Government committed to return to Parliament after the first nutrients EDPs are made to issue a statement on the initial lessons learned from their development and implementation before introducing further EDPs covering other issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, what national policy framework governs the protection of hydrologically sensitive Sites of Special Scientific Interest where Environmental Delivery Plans are not in place.

The protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including those that are hydrologically sensitive is governed principally by section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and paragraph 193(b) of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Food and Rural Affairs, what scientific evidence Natural England is using to determine whether a development has a potential hydrological impacts on hydrologically dependent Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including wetlands such as Wolborough Fen.

Natural England assesses all available information on both impacts and mitigation and uses professional judgement and scientific expertise to provide advice to decision-makers.