Written questions by Holden.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of imports of (a) maize, (b) oilseed rape, (c) ethanol and (d) wheat on UK farmers and domestic markets.

Imports supplement domestic production and ensure any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease do not affect the UK's overall security of food supply. The UK agricultural sector is highly resilient and adaptable and operates in an open market where the value of commodities is established by those in the supply chain. For cereals crops produced domestically, including wheat, barley, oats, and oil seed, the UK has continuously been over 80% self-sufficient in domestic production for the past 20 years. In 2023, estimates indicate 76% of the crop-derived bioethanol for road transport originated from crops grown outside the UK. An estimated 24% originated from crops grown in the UK, which was mainly made up of bioethanol derived from UK-grown wheat. From recent UK supply and demand estimates produced by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, data suggests a competitive demand for domestic feed grains has been offsetting maize imports. Defra does not maintain any estimates of expected levels of imports over the coming years. The level of imports will vary from year to year depending on market needs and disruption to domestic production.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environmental Improvement Plan, published 1 December 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new PM2.5 target on (a) the number of Clean Air Zones in local authority areas, (b) the charges and scope of existing zones and (c) other measures required to reduce car use by (i) central and (ii) local government.

Clean Air Zones have been introduced to reduce local roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations from transport. We are committed to reducing air pollution from all sources and using the most effective policy tools to do so.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information their Department holds on (a) the proportion of tyres procured that were re-tread tyres for (i) Department-operated and (ii) commercially contracted heavy vehicle fleets, including lorries, buses and refuse vehicles and (b) the volume of tyres procured for those fleets that were single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months; and whether such information is held centrally or by individual contractors.

There are no re-tread tyres procured for Defra Group-operated heavy goods fleets. Defra Group operates 33 heavy goods vehicles. Three of these vehicles are fitted with re-tread tyres; however, there are only eight re-tread tyres on these vehicles. These tyres are being phased out upon need of replacement. The Defra Group has not procured any single-use imported tyres in the last 12 months. The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to Natural England on the circumstances in which staff may not attempt to fight wildfires on land they manage.

Decisions on when and how Natural England (NE) staff respond to wildfire on land they manage are made by NE, and are dependent on the size of the fire, the training and equipment staff on site can access, and advice from the local Fire and Rescue Service. Defra has not issued any direct guidelines to NE on this subject but operational staff working on NE’S reserves at high risk of wildfire undertake Lantra-certified wildfire management training that Defra commissioned the Forestry Commission to develop.

Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration her Department has given to banning non-stun slaughter of animals.

Regulations require that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain, and the only exception is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the modified heather dominated upland peat managed by Natural England is degraded.

Natural England manages 7,865 hectares of upland peat areas with a mosaic of dwarf shrub heath and blanket bog vegetation types. The latest condition assessments report that whilst 15% is unfavourable, either with no signs of change or declining, 72% is unfavourable recovering meaning that positive management is restoring the habitats and the ecosystem services they provide and 13% is recorded as favourable.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to have discussions with devolved Administrations on their experiences of developing proposals for licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations.

Defra works closely with the devolved governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department plans to have with animal welfare charities and sector bodies ahead of the consultation on licensing rescue and rehoming organisations; and if Ministers will meet with organisations including national animal welfare charities and representative bodies for rescue and rehoming centres.

Defra will engage with stakeholders, including animal welfare groups, as part of the consultation process on its proposals for licensing rescue and rehoming centres. Defra welcomes the input of interested parties and will maintain communication with these groups as part of the consultation process.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations will be launched; and what her planned timetable is for its conclusion and response.

As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government will launch a consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2025 to Question 97170, what fees the Marine Management Organisation has charged in each year since 2018 for reviewing evidence submitted to discharge, vary, or comply with conditions on marine licences relating to mudflat surveys.

This information is not published and is not readily available. Due to the level of detail specified in the request, it would require a significant amount of time and resource to provide this, incurring disproportionate costs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the net zero targets are for (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s-length bodies; and whether guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.

The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008 is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies. The Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK Government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period. Defra is reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with Government priorities. The Environment Agency (Environment Agency: reaching net zero - GOV.UK), Foresty England (Cutting our carbon emissions | Forestry England), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew commits to become climate positive by 2030 | Kew) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas 2030) have published separate emissions targets.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to port operators of surveying mudflats required under (a) environmental assessment and (b) marine licensing processes; and whether she has made an assessment of the (i) consistency and (ii) proportionality of those requirements across England.

Costs for surveying mudflats vary. If surveying is a condition of a marine licence, the Marine Management Organisation charges a fee, to review evidence provided as part of a condition on a marine licence.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to collect data on the number of stray dogs taken in by local authorities in the last year that were (a) reclaimed by their owner, (b) rehomed, and (c) euthanised.

The Department does not collect this data. The obligations for dealing with stray dogs are laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The responsibility for implementing these obligations lies with each local authority.

Food and Rural Affairs, what enforcement powers are available when local authorities fail to meet minimum animal welfare standards.

In cases of local authorities’ failure to meet animal welfare standards, Defra retains the necessary powers and scope to intervene under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the level of carbon emissions caused by (a) prescribed burns of vegetation and (b) wildfires during 2025.

The Government remains committed to improving air quality to deliver benefits for public health, the environment, and the economy. This includes reducing carbon emissions.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The information below relates to Defra and the Environment agency only.Since 4 July 2024, the Department and its arm’s length bodies have spent £996k on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities.Since 4 July 2024, the Department and its arm’s length bodies have spent £278k on the purchase of electric vehicles.The Department estimates that the capital cost of the electric vehicles purchased is approximately £50k (£4.1k per vehicle) higher than comparable diesel models.The Department is working towards a government target of 100% Zero Tailpipe Emissions by 31 December 2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether local authorities are required to obtain a licence under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 when (a) keeping and (b) exhibiting animals in public parks.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that kept animals, including those accommodated or exhibited in public parks, are cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006.Local authorities are subject to the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. These regulations require anyone in the business of keeping or training animals for exhibition to hold a valid licence and to comply with strict statutory minimum welfare standards, including requirements relating to the animal's environment, diet, health, and provision of appropriate care and supervision.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made of the welfare conditions of animals kept by local authorities in public parks.

Defra has made no specific assessment of the welfare conditions of animals kept by local authorities in public parks. Local authorities that keep or exhibit animals must comply with the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, which set statutory minimum welfare standards and are enforced by councils. These are supported by statutory guidance available here.Defra completed a post-implementation review of the 2018 Regulations in 2023, which found they have improved welfare standards and should be retained while identifying areas for refinement. The review can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many stray dogs were taken into shelter by local authorities in the last 12 months.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Food and Rural Affairs, what oversight exists of local authorities that (a) keep and (b) exhibit animals in public parks, and what steps her Department is taking to ensure such animals are kept in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that kept animals, including those accommodated or exhibited in public parks, are cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Where a local authority itself exhibits animals, it is expected to meet the same high welfare standards that apply to any operator under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. These Regulations require anyone in the business of keeping or training animals for exhibition to hold a valid licence and to comply with strict statutory minimum welfare standards, including requirements relating to the animal's environment, diet, health, and provision of appropriate care and supervision. The 2018 Regulations are accompanied by statutory guidance developed to help local authorities enforce the licensing regime fairly and consistently. The guidance for keeping or training animals for exhibition can be found here.