Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, what specific targets the Department has set for improving the condition of SSSIs within Dartmoor National Park during this Parliament.

The Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 sets out an interim target for 50% of SSSI features to have actions on track by 2030, alongside a long‑term ambition for 75% of protected sites to be in favourable condition by 2042. The 50% of actions on track interim target will actively help improve the condition of SSSIs, including those in the Dartmoor National Park. The Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework sets the ambition for 80% of all SSSIs within protected landscapes, which includes the Dartmoor National Park, to be in favourable condition by 2042. Natural England has also committed to completing updated condition assessments for all SSSIs by 2032. This will provide the evidence needed to target interventions effectively and inform future management decisions on Dartmoor and elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of stewardship payments in delivering measurable biodiversity outcomes on upland commons.

Stewardship payments through Environmental and Countryside Stewardship help support restoration of nature and ensure habitats are resilient including on upland commons. Through the recently published Environmental Improvement Plan, the Government is committed to improving these sites with a target that by December 2030 50% of Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) features have actions on track to achieve favourable condition. Defra’s Agri-Environment Evidence Programme conducts research that improves our schemes with targeted projects to explore Agri-environment scheme (AES) impacts over an ecologically meaningful timescale. One recent study of AES impact on SSSI upland dwarf heath sites identified that two primary factors affecting condition are burning frequency and stock management. AES are crucial to supporting farmers and land managers in taking action to improve the condition of SSSIs, such as addressing water pollution, changing grazing regimes and tackling invasive species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with the Dartmoor National Park Authority and Natural England regarding governance arrangements for commons management.

Minister Creagh visited Dartmoor National Park in April 2025 to hear about the work of the National Park Authority. Defra also has annual review meetings with each National Park Authority, including Dartmoor, to look at delivery and management of National Park outcomes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of whether existing policy guidance provides Natural England with sufficient powers to prevent cumulative ecological impacts on protected wetlands arising from strategic housing allocations.

Defra’s Regulatory Landscape Review, led by Dan Corry, was published in April 2025. As part of our work to implement its recommendations, we will soon publish Strategic Policy Statements for Natural England and the Environment Agency. These will set out expectations for their contribution towards our growth mission, particularly around reaching our ambitious homebuilding targets and fast-tracking major infrastructure projects. The Corry review and the 2025 Post-Implementation Review of the Habitats Regulations both concluded that improvements could be made to the functioning of the Habitats Regulations. We are working with stakeholders to improve guidance on Habitats Regulations Assessments, including clarifying the respective roles of Natural England as a statutory consultee and planning authorities as decision makers on planning applications. Natural England is a statutory consultee on planning applications and offers advice and guidance to planning authorities, but planning authorities are ultimately responsible for planning decisions, including imposing planning conditions where necessary to make development acceptable. The National Planning Policy Framework reinforces statutory protections, including by setting out how planning conditions should be used.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Department plans to review legislative frameworks governing commons management in protected landscapes.

The department has no plans to review legislative frameworks governing commons management in protected landscapes.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether coastal resilience funding will be made available for the restoration and protection of Teignmouth pier.

Whilst Defra recognises the importance of Teignmouth Pier to the town and visitors alike, the department understands the pier is privately owned and therefore the responsibility to maintain it rests with the owners. The Environment Agency (EA) met with the owners of the pier in 2022 to explain this situation. Flood Defence Grant in Aid is focused on the repair of flood defences. The EA and Teignbridge District Council are working closely to secure government funding to replace the timber groynes along the beach at Teignmouth and refurbishment of the seawall around the pier to maintain protection to the community.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution in response to the hon. Member for Newton Abbot during the Oral Statement of 21 January 2026 on Water White Paper, Official Report column 347, if he will hold discussions with the hon. Member for Newton Abbot on the risk of water shortages in the South West this summer.

I would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss this matter.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review and reform Dartmoor Commons legislation this Parliament.

There is no commitment or timescale for implementing a review or reform of provisions as set out in the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to lay before Parliament final regulations and statutory guidance to implement mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.

Biodiversity net gain will apply to nationally significant infrastructure projects from May 2026. The Government consulted on the implementation detail over the summer and will publish a response and other relevant guidance in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to increase the corresponding recreational bag limit when commercial bass catch limits are increased.

Annual negotiations between the UK and EU to decide fishing opportunities for 2026 have recently concluded. The outcome for both commercial and recreational seabass opportunities will be made public shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will publish a consolidated timetable for forthcoming environmental, biodiversity, water-regulation, land-use and planning-related legislation and statutory instruments for 2025–2028.

The Department will continue to bring forward legislation when parliamentary time allows. Any public commitments to legislate will follow the procedures set out by the Parliamentary Business and Legislation (PBL) Cabinet Committee.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish further information on a re-designed scheme to replace the Sustainable Farming Incentive, including; a) eligibility, b) payment rates, c) environmental/biodiversity and, d) water-quality requirements, as well as the application windows.

At the CLA Conference in November, the Secretary of State set out her ambition to open an improved Sustainable Farming Incentive in the first half of 2026. The Government will publish scheme details, including timings and eligibility criteria, before the scheme opens giving farmers time to plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will commission a National Audit Office evaluation of the implementation, effectiveness and value-for-money of (a) statutory Biodiversity Net Gain and (b) the re-designed Sustainable Farming Incentive.

The National Audit Office (NAO) undertook a review of statutory biodiversity net gain (BNG) in May 2024 and the Government is implementing many of the recommendations. The Government also recently consulted on options for improving BNG for small, medium and brownfield sites and will publish a response in due course. The NAO also undertook a review of the Farming and Countryside Programme in June 2024, which considered a previous version of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Ministers are considering how to change the SFI scheme so that it better supports sustainable farming and drives growth. We will introduce improved budgetary controls to help money reach more farmers and focus on the most impactful actions to benefit the environment and which work alongside farm business. Full scheme details including the budget, timing and eligibility will be published well ahead of launch in the first half of 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish implementing regulations and updated statutory guidance for water-company regulation, governance changes and environmental monitoring under the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025.

Guidance is being developed by Defra and the regulators and will be published in due course, as will any enacting implementing regulations, as needed.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 82809 on Water Companies: Risk Assessment, what steps she is taking to help ensure compliance by local authorities with statutory reporting duties on private water supply risk assessments; and if she will provide an update on progress made in responding to the recommendations of the 2024 research project: Impact and future of the regulatory model and legislative framework surrounding private water supplies in England and Wales.

Reporting duties return rates by local authorities will be raised by officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government through their regular liaison meetings with the Local Government Association.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 82808 on Water Supply: Newton Abbot, what assessment her Department has made of the capacity of Teignbridge District Council to meet its statutory duties for private water supplies, in light of the number of registered supplies and the associated workload for risk assessments and sampling.

Local authorities can recover costs incurred from their work on private water supplies from the relevant person for the supply. Defra expects all local authorities to undertake their statutory duties.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 82810 on Water Supply: Standards, what further information her Department holds on the reasons for these improvement notices, and what processes take place once such notices are received by central Government.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate receives, records, and reports on the number of information notices each year. This information is provided in the Chief Inspector’s annual report on Private Water Supplies in England. Acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water can confirm notices issued under Section 80 of the Water Industry Act 1991 if they are appealed, but no action is taken by Defra or the DWI on notices issued.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 82811 on Water Supply: Standards, whether she has assessed the adequacy of issuing non-mandatory guidance for private water supply risk assessments.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) publishes and maintains a suite of risk assessment tools on its website. Risk assessments must meet the requirements of European standard EN 15975-2 entitled "Security of Drinking Water Supply - Guidelines for Risk and Crisis Management – Risk Management" which provides further guidance and if local authorities have any questions on performing risk assessments, they can contact the DWI who provide technical and scientific advice.

Food and Rural Affairs, what investigations her Department has made into alternative to the culling of healthy flocks of caged birds in areas of wider avian flu outbreak.

Culling is the most effective means of controlling and stamping out an avian influenza outbreak together with movement restrictions, high standards of biosecurity, separation of poultry from wild birds and surveillance. Preventative vaccination for avian influenza may be an option for the future but will not be viable for the 2025/2026 risk season. Defra has established a cross government and industry taskforce to explore future vaccination options. The taskforce published its initial report on 24 July. The report recommends a series of actions, including a vaccination trial in turkeys, before a final recommendation can be made. Currently, vaccination of poultry and captive birds against avian influenza, excluding those in licensed zoos in England, is not permitted. Defra continue to invest in avian influenza research, and we continue to monitor vaccine usage both in Europe and globally, as well as the effectiveness of other disease control measures taken. Any future decisions on disease control measures, including the use of vaccination, will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to reduce the number of animal crates used for (a) pigs and (b) chickens in Devon.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, PQ UIN 47556.