Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the recent appointments to the Food Strategy Advisory Board on (a) farmers and (b) animal welfare in Devon.

Members of the Food Strategy Advisory Board are senior leaders, appointed for their individual experience and leadership to ensure a broad range of expertise and perspectives across the food system. They do not represent their business interests, specific sectors or geographic areas. The Board’s role is to provide independent advice to support the development of the food strategy. As such, the impact of appointments is considered in terms of the collective insight they bring to national food policy, rather than on specific stakeholder groups or regions.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current obligations for housing developers are in respect of the installation of sustainable drainage schemes.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF. The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current (a) legal and (b) regulatory framework governing the (i) adoption, (ii) maintenance and (iii) enforcement of sustainable drainage schemes.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF. The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to monitor the population of Cirl Buntings in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall.

There is currently no active monitoring carried out by, or funded by, Defra. However, current agri-environment schemes provide funding for farmers to provide suitable habitat to support Cirl Bunting.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, when she plans to commence Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS in new developments. We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2025 to Question 75766 on Bottom Trawling: Teignmouth, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning bottom trawling in the remaining 60% of the south Devon coast.

The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority is responsible for assessing the impacts of fishing in its district, taking an evidence-based approach to the introduction of any restrictions, including a ban on bottom trawling, in consultation with stakeholders.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of sanitary and phytosanitary transfers between the UK and EU since 2020 on the economy.

The Government is required to conduct an impact assessment when new or changing policies, strategies, services or projects are proposed that could have a significant impact on the economy, business, voluntary organisations, or the environment. Defra implemented changes to cross-border sanitary and phytosanitary processes in 2024 when it implemented its Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). The impact assessment was published https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2024/115/pdfs/ukia_20240115_en.pdf) and contains an estimated cost to business. As a major programme the BTOM will also be subject to formal evaluation, which assesses the value and impact of the work post delivery through a structured process of analysis. The evaluation process is expected to run over the next few years. It should also be noted that the UK trade team of ONS also publish a variety of different statistics that quantify trade between the UK and EU over time (Published data - Office for National Statistics).

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with supermarkets on the potential impact of online-only discounts on older people without smartphones.

Ministers and officials in the department regularly engage with retailers on a wide range of issues affecting consumers, including affordability and access to food. The Government expects retailers to consider the needs of all customers, including older people and those who may find it difficult to access online services. Supermarkets are responsible for their own pricing and promotional strategies, but we know that many offer a range of in-store and online discounts to ensure fair access.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement on the number of cross-border transfers of livestock since 2020.

We have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area which will slash costs and remove red tape. The removal of the need for Export Health Certification would save trading businesses up to £200 per consignment each time goods are sent.Later we will start the detailed negotiations on the SPS agreement, as well as the other commitments from our summit in May.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on the roll-out of badger TB vaccination programmes.

Significant progress has been made in rolling out badger vaccination as part of our strategy to eradicate bovine TB. Large-scale vaccination is being delivered by Animal and Plant Health Agency field teams, alongside a farming community-led initiative in East Sussex, demonstrating that vaccination is practical at scale, including in areas where culling has previously taken place. In 2024, over 4,000 badgers were vaccinated across England, the highest annual total to date. Further work includes a new project led by the National Farmers’ Union which is now underway in Cornwall to explore scalable and cost-effective approaches to vaccination delivery, and the establishment of a new badger vaccination field force from next year to further accelerate rollout in areas where bovine TB incidence remains high and is worsening. Work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy is progressing at pace, and together with these measures, will help drive down disease rates, protect farmers’ livelihoods, and support our commitment to end the badger cull by the end of this Parliament.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2025 to Question 73442 on Deposit Return Schemes: Newton Abbot, if she will make it her policy to ensure that remote collection points are available in villages without a (a) supermarket, (b) grocery store, (c) convenience store and (d) newsagent.

The scheme administrator, UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd. (UK DMO), is responsible for ensuring there is a comprehensive network of return points so that consumers can easily return their containers, including in rural areas. Other types of organisations that sell in-scope drinks containers – including hospitality venues, food-to-go stores, schools, hospitals, gyms, sports centres and community centres – although not mandated to host a return point, can apply to operate one voluntarily. This has been popular in other international DRSs as organisations see the benefit of increased footfall. UK DMO will undertake regular reviews of the return point network to consider the number, location and accessibility of return points.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bottom trawling on coastlines in Teignmouth.

The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority assesses the impacts of fishing in its district. It has byelaws in place to restrict damaging fishing activity in Marine Protected Areas. As a result of these byelaws, over 40% of the South Devon coast is closed to bottom-towed fishing gear.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed deposit return scheme will include (a) drink bottles and (b) food containers.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres. Materials included are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel, and aluminium drink containers. All other packaging including food containers are included in the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that the proposed deposit return scheme has adequate collection zones in (a) rural areas and (b) villages in Newton Abbot constituency.

The scheme administrator, UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd. (UK DMO), is responsible for ensuring there is a comprehensive network of return points so that consumers can easily return their containers, including in rural areas. The scheme requires all supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and newsagents that sell drinks that are included in the scheme to host a return point, unless they qualify for an exemption. Government continues to work closely with UK DMO as they work to deliver the scheme in October 2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff were assigned to the (a) identification and (b) removal of yellow-legged Asian hornet nests in (i) 2025, (ii) 2023 and (iii) 2022.

There has been 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff assigned to nest destruction in 2022, 2023 and 2025. This means they were assigned to that role and available on call when needed. There has been one FTE Senior Operational Lead dedicated to yellow-legged hornet since 2024 to manage the overall response. No other staff are employed or allocated on a full-time basis to yellow-legged hornet The response is managed by redeploying staff from other business as usual delivery, based on outbreak demand.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether allocated funding to the Animal and Plant Health Agency for Asian hornet response operations has changed since 2023.

The response to Asian hornet also known as Yellow-Legged Hornet (YLH) is carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) National Bee Unit (NBU). The NBU do this as part of the overall programme of work that they deliver for Defra from the funding allocated to APHA. There isn’t a specific budget allocated to the response to YLH. Being part of APHA means the NBU can draw on further resources which allows them to take action on notifiable bee diseases, while continuing to provide an effective response to YLH. In 2023 there was a large increase in the number of YLH nests found in GB and the NBU located and destroyed 72 nests in 56 locations. Further analyses during the winter of 2023 indicated that a few of the nests may have reached maturity and released queens which overwintered. Therefore in 2024 the NBU carried out spring trapping for YLH in 4 areas across the south of GB. Additional funds were allocated for the spring trapping work.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether any dedicated Asian hornet rapid response teams have been (a) disbanded and (b) downsized since 2023.

The response to Yellow-Legged Hornet (YLH) also known as Asian hornet is carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) National Bee Unit (NBU). The NBU do this as part of the overall programme of work that they deliver for Defra from the funding allocated to APHA. The NBU has been taking action against YLH since 2016 and has developed a fine-tuned effective response. They frequently find a nest within a day of an initial sighting being reported. Therefore, Defra has not established dedicated Asian hornet rapid response teams.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to support the development of a public-facing data access tool to allow independent verification of water quality alerts issued by South West Water.

It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to require South West Water to (a) reinstate collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and (b) provide real-time data to the Safer Seas and Rivers Service.

It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require South West Water to publish (a) sites receiving investment under the storm overflow programme, (b) timelines for that investment and (c) expected outcomes at each location.

It is important that the public have access to reliable information on storm overflow discharges. The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows, which was introduced on 01 January. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment. This includes South West Water delivering £764 million of investment to reduce storm overflow spills and £55 million to install real-time monitors at high-priority sites. Ofwat will hold water companies to account for the decisions set at the Price Review. Ofwat's claw back mechanism ensures that funding for schemes not delivered is returned to customers, by reducing bills.