Written questions by Lowe.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) uses the Civil Service Learning Frameworks for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion training for our people. The financial information held by the department is limited to customer or supplier. The core department spent £1,246,267.27 with the Civil Service Learning Framework supplier. The department is not able identify how much the department has spent specifically on diversity, equality and inclusion training because our financial reports do not provide course titles.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.

The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Ministerial correspondence of 17 January 2025 with reference MC2024/24342/SB, when the consultation process on the review of the existing funding formula will (a) begin and (b) be announced; and whether stakeholders in Great Yarmouth constituency will be included in the consultation process.

This Government inherited an outdated funding formula for allocating money to proposed flood defences. That’s why we will launch a consultation in the coming months which will include a review of the existing flood funding formula to ensure that the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are adequately taken into account when delivering flood protection. The consultation will be open to all stakeholders, including community groups and members of the public in Great Yarmouth constituency.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to commission a study into the potential impact of Halal meat on animal welfare.

Legislation requires that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to the requirement to stun is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter but respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their beliefs. Legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals when being slaughtered and there are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim method to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Many animals that are slaughtered for halal meat are stunned before slaughter. The Government’s Farm Animal Welfare Committee published a report in 2003 which considered the welfare detriment involved in slaughter without prior stunning. The European Food Standard’s Authority also published advice on the topic in a 2004 report. The Department will continue to review any new scientific research and evidence which emerges.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

The core department complies with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. The Government and Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity as a way of reflecting the experiences of the citizens we serve and delivering better outcomes for them in turn.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department uses sewage to estimate population changes.

Defra does not routinely measure population changes and therefore does not use sewage monitoring for this purpose. Sewerage undertakers account for population changes in their business planning by using local Government growth plans and population data supplied by the Office of National Statistics. Sewerage undertakers use projections of population growth at a sewerage catchment level to assess future capacity needs within their Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMP). Since 1 September 2024, sewerage undertakers in England are required to prepare, publish and maintain a DWMP. The DWMP is a key evidence base to inform future capacity needs in the sewerage undertakers' business plans.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the Summer Development Internship Programme 2025 is open to all applicants.

As a public body, the Environment Agency (EA) is committed to meeting the obligations set out in the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty. These require public bodies to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people with different protected characteristics. The EA recruits using a fair and open process and appoints on merit, and will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010. The EA is focused on addressing known gaps in its workforce, and its Summer Development Internship Programme aims to widen access to careers and attract talented individuals from underrepresented ethnic groups. The latest data (Q2 2024-2025) from the EA shows that 6.4% of Agency staff are from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, against a representation goal of 7.6% this year and a 2021 Census representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic respondents in England and Wales of 18.3%. The EA also offers various different career entry programmes which are open to all and is committed to supporting other underrepresented communities, including those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent further damage following coastal erosion in Hemsby; and what his Department’s timetable is for reviewing the funding formula for flood defences.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers to his previous questions; PQ 12005, tabled on 30 October 2024, and PQ 8968, tabled on 14 October 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure (a) internships and (b) job opportunities in (i) his Department and (ii) its non-departmental public bodies are open to all applicants.

The core department complies with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles by ensuring that appointments to the Civil Service are made on the basis of merit following a fair and open competition. Defra’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies are accredited by The Civil Service Commission, which means the relevant HR Policies are similarly compliant with the Recruitment Principles. Internships in both the core department and Defra’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies are commonly linked to a specific scheme or programme. They are therefore open to all applicants who meet the relevant advertised entry requirements of the individual scheme or programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to question 16316 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Energy if he will publish data on each Department's energy use, broken down by energy source.

Defra publishes data on Government departments' overall and direct emissions within the Greening Government Commitments framework.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the use of Bovaer.

The Food Standards Agency has advised milk from cows given Bovaer, an authorised feed additive used to reduce methane emissions, is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone a rigorous safety assessment and is approved for use in Great Britain.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many international (a) air miles and (b) flights have been completed by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in their Department since 5 July 2024.

Data on Ministers’ overseas travel and on senior civil servants’ business expenses is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-hospitality-gifts-meetings-overseas-travel

Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms he has visited since 5 July 2024.

Since 5 July the Secretary of State has had frequent engagement with the sector, including; attending the Great Yorkshire Agriculture Show in July 24; visiting a farm and meeting with a group of local farmers in Essex in September 24; meeting with the President of the CLA and speaking at the CLA Annual Conference last week, and; more broadly, continued frequent engagement, particularly with the NFU President Tom Bradshaw. Furthermore, Minister Zeichner has also spoken with the sector on numerous occasions since 5 July.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the protected status of seagulls.

The Government has no plans to change the legal protections for gull species. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee Seabird Census (2015-2021) and the 2024 Birds of Conservation Concern report indicate substantial population declines due to, for example, avian influenza and prey availability. This includes gull species such as herring and lesser black-backed gulls. All wild birds in England, including gulls, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In exceptional cases Natural England can issue licences for the management of protected species, including gulls, for certain purposes such as protecting public health and safety or for conservation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department plan to attend the NFU farming rally on 19 November 2024.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spoke to farmers who attended the NFU farming rally on 19 November and has had frequent engagement with the farming sector, including with NFU President Tom Bradshaw the evening before the rally. Ministers have had further meetings with key industry organisations, including the Country Land and Business Association Conference. Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner met with the NFU, British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation, and UK Hospitality. He also spoke at the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution parliamentary reception. He has also recently spoken at the Northern Farming Conference, the Eggs and Poultry Industry conference, the Agricultural Industries Confederation conference and the Tenant Farmers Association Executive Committee.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) limiting and (b) banning commercial trading of fishing licence quotas.

The Government is not planning any assessment on commercial trading of fishing licence quotas. Quota trading helps our fishing industry by allowing quota to flow to those who most need it. This helps maximise uptake and mitigate choke risks. It also provides important flexibilities for British businesses. For example, it allows fishermen to sell quotas when adverse weather, vessel failure or other problems mean quotas would otherwise go unused.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) UK's initial demand for total allowable catch and (b) agreed outcome was for quotas for each species in its negotiations with the EU on fish quotas in each year since 2021.

Due to the nature of the negotiations, it is not appropriate to publicly disclose negotiating documents detailing the UK’s opening positions. The Written Records detailing the outcome of the UK’s annual fisheries negotiations with the EU are published on GOV.UK. Furthermore, Defra has published reports on the ‘economic outcome of negotiations for UK fishing opportunities’ on GOV.UK since 2021. These include annexes with the UK quota for each stock.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) introduce a licence fee for access to UK (a) territorial and (b) exclusive economic zone waters to foreign vessels granted permission to catch fish and (b) use that fee to invest in the UK fishing industry in 2026.

The licensing of UK vessels to fish in UK waters is a devolved matter. The licensing of foreign fishing vessels to access UK territorial waters and exclusive economic zone is reserved. Defra has no plans to introduce licence fees, although has powers to do so. Any fee would have to be non-discriminatory and apply to all vessels. Managing Public Money May 2023 would need to be taken into account. The general principle is that fees are to be used for cost recovery rather than investment. Government funding schemes such as the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme in England, and the UK Seafood Fund, have provided investment and support for the fishing and seafood industry.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 in line with the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

The Government is not planning to amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 in line with the repealed Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) provenance and (b) tax tests to prevent vessels with foreign owners from flying a UK flag of convenience when commercial fishing in UK waters.

The Government is not considering the introduction of provenance and tax tests on owners of British fishing boats. These vessels are already required to provide genuine economic benefits to the UK through the economic link licence conditions.