Written questions by Whittome.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking in response to the Joint Intelligence Committee’s Nature Security Assessment to address the national security risks arising from accelerating biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, including risks to the UK’s food and water security, public health and supply chain resilience.

The Nature Security Assessment is a cross-government strategic analysis that brings together scientific evidence, policy analysis and national security expertise to inform long-term resilience and security planning. In response to the risks it identifies, the UK is already taking action to strengthen food, water, public health and supply chain resilience, including through major investment in nature at home and abroad. The UK is meeting the International Climate Finance (ICF) 3 spending target of at least £11.6 billion over 2021 to 2026, supporting nature protection and sustainable agriculture globally. Domestically, the UK has a resilient food system and is investing £11.8 billion this Parliament to support sustainable farming, alongside action to strengthen critical supply chains through the Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy. These measures sit alongside wider domestic action to restore and protect nature, including record levels of tree planting, peatland restoration, improved water quality and stronger protection for the marine environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of distributing venison produced as a result of deer culling to food banks and other initiatives which support people in food poverty.

The Government published the Deer Impacts Policy Statement on 20 February 2026. The statement sets out actions to reduce the negative impacts deer have on the environment. This includes developing the venison supply chain. Defra is working with relevant sectors to improve the quality and consistency of wild venison supply into the human and other relevant food chains, including exploring where more wild venison can be offered as a sustainable meat option through our public procurement networks. Defra is also providing further funding towards wild venison collection and storage through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. This has been informed by learning gained through projects such as the Natural England Sussex Woods Protected Site Strategy pilot, which worked with food security charities to distribute venison mince procured as a byproduct of deer that were being managed to preserve the biodiversity in and around the protected sites in the area. Other organisations, such as the Country Food Trust, are already using venison to supply food banks and community kitchens.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential impact of electric shock collars on the welfare of dogs.

The Government is concerned about the possible welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars.As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, Defra will consult on whether to ban the use of electric shock collars later in this Parliament.

Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will provide local authorities with funding from the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme to tackle ground litter.

This Government remains committed to tackling litter. However, payments to Local Authorities for tackling ground litter are currently outside the scope of the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) regulations. The deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will have an impact on single-use packaging waste and commonly littered items. Plastic bottles and cans account for 55% of litter volume and DRS is expected to significantly reduce the number of items littered. The scheme is due to rollout in October 2027. We will review payments for binned and littered waste when the impact of DRS is evaluated.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK’s deforestation regulations are fair and workable for smallholder farmers internationally.

The Government recognises that action to prevent UK consumption of forest risk commodities driving deforestation should minimise the impacts on smallholder farmers. The UK works with smallholder farmers to improve sustainable practices and encourage forest-friendly businesses. The UK also funds and co-chairs the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade Dialogue with a specific working group focused on smallholder support, facilitating government to government dialogue to build collaboration to reduce risks of smallholder exclusion from sustainable supply chains. The Government is currently considering its approach to addressing the impact of the use of forest risk commodities in our supply chains and will set out its approach in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of whether the membership of the Food Strategy Advisory Board includes adequate expertise in (a) public health, (b) nutrition, (c) environmental science, (d) climate policy and (e) sustainable farming.

The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a deliberately small group of senior leaders who represent a wealth of experience and important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. The Board’s role is to provide independent advice to support the development of the food strategy. Appointments are considered in terms of the collective insight they bring to national food policy. We keep membership under review to ensure representation from throughout the food sector and the necessary expertise.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve air quality.

The Government is developing a series of interventions to reduce emissions so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced. This includes action to reduce harmful emissions from domestic burning and reforms to the industrial permitting regime. We remain committed to working closely with local authorities, industry, and the public to shape practical, proportionate policies that deliver cleaner air and improve public health.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to education people on the potential impact of (a) littering and (b) fly-tipping on local communities.

Littering and fly-tipping are crimes which blight our communities and harm the environment. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group which aims to develop and disseminate various practical tools on tackling fly-tipping. These include a guide on how local authorities can raise awareness of the household waste duty of care, which helps to prevent householders from giving their waste to a fly-tipper. The guide provides suggested messaging, including the impact of fly-tipping locally. Defra is also proud to support and endorse national clean-up initiatives such as the Great British Spring Clean, and we will continue to use our influence to encourage as many people and businesses as possible to participate in these types of events.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a new national strategy for tackling littering.

At this time, the Government is not planning to implement a new national litter strategy. This Government is committed to reducing waste by transitioning to a circular economy. To support the government in achieving this goal we have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from across government, industry, academia and civil society, to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. As part of this we remain focused on delivering the Collection and Packaging Reforms including the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS will go live in October 2027. It will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy. We remain committed to supporting local authorities to tackle littering and are currently examining what further steps we can take to aid them.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of 24 January 2025 in the Climate and Nature Bill debate, what steps the Government plans to take to strengthen the narrative on imported emissions.

This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate and nature crises and has agreed steps to take forward the spirit and substance of the Climate and Nature Bill with the Bill’s Sponsors. An update on these steps will be set out in a Ministerial Statement by the autumn. Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK – including UK consumption emission figures from imported goods and services - is published by Defra and is available up to 2021 : Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK . Figures are due to be updated in the Spring.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of 24 January 2025 on the Climate and Nature Bill, how his Department plans to improve collaboration between the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Committee on Climate Change and the special representatives on climate and nature policy.

As part of the Government’s consideration of the Climate and Nature Bill, on 24 January 2025, I committed to strengthen relationships between the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and the Special representative for Nature. There is already a strong working relationship between JNCC and CCC. We intend to build on this at a more strategic level and work has commenced to integrate the Special Representative for Nature into this engagement.