Written questions by Blake.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessments he has made of the potential impact of a lack of director‑liability provisions for environmental offences including public nuisance on water companies from committing pollution.

The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting in the public interest, who can lead change from the top.To achieve this, the Government committed in the White Paper to consider taking forward a new regime for senior accountability. This would be carefully designed to ensure senior leaders are directly accountable for the service customers receive, whilst still allowing water companies to appoint capable leadership.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of a statutory mechanism similar to Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for environmental damage overseen by senior officers of water companies.

The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting in the public interest, who can lead change from the top.To achieve this, the Government committed in the White Paper to consider taking forward a new regime for senior accountability. This would be carefully designed to ensure senior leaders are directly accountable for the service customers receive, whilst still allowing water companies to appoint capable leadership.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to reach an agreement with the European Union on reinstating the pet passport scheme.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 January 2026 to the hon. Member Shaun Davies for Telford, PQ UIN 103925.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps towards introducing a mandatory food labelling scheme for animal welfare.

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is he taking to help tackle the theft and trade of wild falcons captured in the UK.

Bird of prey persecution is a national wildlife crime priority and there are strong penalties in place for offences committed against them. Restrictions on the commercial use or trade of birds of prey are in place under the UK Wildlife Trade Regulations. Where any wild falcon is taken and traded illegally the full force of the law should apply to proven perpetrators of the crime. Defra is a principal funder of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. It has played a key role in securing the convictions of criminals found to have been illegally taking peregrine falcon eggs and chicks from the wild. Defra is providing 494,000 for the NWCU in 2025-2026. Defra also provides funding to Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture to develop DNA forensic analysis for the police and other organisations investigating crimes against peregrine falcons. DNA profiling of peregrines is a critical element in deterring wild take and illegal export, and convicting criminals.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether all species of Zebra will be included in the proposed ban on hunting trophies.

Defra is continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for a ban on the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. Timeframes for introducing legislation and details of its scope will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined. Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) based on the level of threat that international trade poses to their conservation status.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department will take steps to (a) review and (b) increase the powers available to (i) the RSPCA and (ii) other animal welfare organisations to intervene in cases of suspected neglect.

There are no current plans to review or increase the powers the RSPCA or other animal welfare organisations have. The RSPCA has strong working relationships with the Police and Local Authorities who support them in protecting animals where needed. The Government recognises the valuable work the RSPCA and other animal welfare organisations do to improve the welfare of animals. The Government remains committed to working with the RSPCA, and other animal welfare organisations, so that our high animal welfare standards are maintained and offenders are subject to appropriate penalties.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to extend the ban on water company bonuses to cover payments from offshore companies.

This Government has been clear about our expectations - and those of the public - regarding unwarranted water company bonuses. Companies should be transparent over the entire remuneration package for executives, so Ofwat can robustly monitor and enforce against its new rule on executive remuneration and assess the rule’s effectiveness ahead of the planned review in 2027. Should Ofwat find any rule breaches, companies will face enforcement action which can include financial penalties.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the benefits of establishing a National Nature Service to oversee nature recovery work.

No.