Written questions by Champion.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to improve the enforcement of zoo licensing.

The Government published new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain on 24 May 2025. The Standards will come into force from May 2027 and will replace the current 2012 Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. One of the objectives in updating the Standards has been to make requirements clearer to aid enforcement and compliance. The Department will continue to work with the Zoos Expert Committee – as well as the Animal Health and Plant Agency and others – to ensure the Standards are effectively implemented.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement will include (a) zoo animals that are part of conservation breeding programmes, (b) plants intended for conservation purposes and (c) biological samples used in (i) conservation and (ii) research.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at reducing trade barriers and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. With the principles and framework of a deal agreed, we will now negotiate the detail of an agreement that reduces administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework. We continue to work with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and a wide range of stakeholders, including the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), to address immediate challenges regarding EU trade – such as the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to restrict bottom trawling of sandeel fish in the North Sea.

Fishing for sandeel in UK waters of the North Sea and all Scottish waters has been prohibited since March 2024. Fisheries management is largely devolved. In England, the prohibition of fishing for sandeel in the North Sea is implemented through fishing vessel license restrictions. There are currently no plans for to enforce this prohibition in England through legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a veterinary agreement with the EU.

The Prime Minister welcomed President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen and President of the EU Council António Costa to London for a UK-EU Summit on 19 May. At that Summit we have agreed the parameters for a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement making agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers, and increasing choice in the shops. This agreement will reduce delays and paperwork at the border, make it easier and cheaper to take pets on holiday into the EU, and trade in products such as fresh sausages and burgers will be able to resume. The holistic merits of an SPS agreement could see an increase in the volume of UK exports of major agricultural commodities to the EU by around 16% and increase imports from the EU by around 8%; the agreement could also add up to £5.1 billion a year to our economy in the long run. Specifically, GB goods such as dairy, fish, eggs and red meat currently subject to 100% documentary checks and up to 30% physical checks will see these removed entirely; further merits can be found at UK-EU Summit - Explainer - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he will publish the outcome of the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling Consultation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 23 December 2024, PQ UIN 20692.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the the European Commission announcement entitled Vision for Agriculture and Food, published on 19 February 2025, if he will hold discussions with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of implementing the same regulations as proposed in the EU on (a) phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and (b) introducing animal welfare labelling.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are considering very carefully. A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course. We await the EU Commission proposals on phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and animal welfare labelling with interest.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press notice entitled Government announces reforms to boost profits for farmers with a cast iron commitment to food production, published on 9 January 2025, whether his Department plans to monitor food currently bought by (a) all public sector bodies and (b) Government departments.

At the Oxford Farming Conference in January, I announced that, for the first time ever, the government will review food currently bought in Government Departments and the wider public sector, including where it is bought from. This is in line with the National Procurement Policy Statement, published in February alongside the Procurement Act coming into effect, which sets out the government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to include an exemption in the veterinary agreement that is being negotiated with the European Union that would protect the United Kingdom's ability to implement animal welfare method-of-production labelling, including on imports.

The Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by seeking to negotiate an SPS agreement. We have been clear that an SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. It’s too early to discuss any specific areas in detail and we will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU.A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has undertaken a risk analysis of the potential impact of the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility on glass manufacturers.

The UK’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility policy has been in development since 2019. This is underpinned by extensive consultation and engagement with industry stakeholders, including the glass manufacturing sector, to provide businesses with a clear indication of the scheme’s design and implementation. Consultations were held in 2019 and 2021, concluding with a final consultation on reforms to the Packaging Recovery Note system in 2022. In 2023, the four nations of the UK jointly consulted on the operability of the draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024. Feedback from stakeholders during this process directly informed a number of amendments made prior to final regulations. Throughout this period, Defra officials engaged closely with industry experts, including the glass industry. This collaboration has helped to ensure that the modelling of local authority costs used in the scheme reflects the practical realities of waste management operations. We have made a full assessment of the expected business impacts of the policy on the packaging sector as a whole. This is detailed in the official impact assessment for the Producer Responsibility Obligations (packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, which remains publicly available here. The Government remains committed to ongoing engagement with manufacturers and other stakeholders to support the successful and fair implementation of the scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38358 on Fisheries, what steps his Department is taking to update the data it provides to the Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is responsible for updating UK fishing vessel data on the Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels. The MMO last updated the record on 24 March 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of operating a carding system to (a) warn and (b) sanction states which (i) export seafood to the UK and (ii) do not cooperate with efforts to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The UK, after leaving the European Union, retained the powers originally set out in the EU’s Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Regulation (1005/2008) to ban imports from countries that do not cooperate with efforts to tackle IUU fishing. Import bans are currently in place on seafood from Cambodia, Comoros and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The UK’s legislative framework also requires the banning of imports and landings of seafood from fishing vessels that are included on the UK’s IUU vessel list as having been identified as engaging in IUU fishing. Other control measures are also in place to manage imports of seafood into the UK from other countries. Such measures include the operation of a catch documentation scheme to ensure seafood imported into the UK is caught in line with national and international regulations on fisheries conservation and sustainable management. Defra will continue to keep under active review steps to combat IUU fishing.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to tackle the use of products created through illegal deforestation in supply chains.

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation, and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 27227 on Shellfish: Animal Welfare, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including all animals recognised as sentient beings in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 27227, no policy decisions about these animals in relation to the Animal Welfare Act (2006) have been made whilst the evidence-base is being built.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent microplastics entering nature from washing machines.

The Government is concerned about the possible risks to public health and wildlife from microplastics which enter the environment from the atmosphere and road runoff and from washing machines. Previous collaborative work with the water industry found that microplastic from clothing and textiles make up a small proportion (around 1%) of the total microplastics found within wastewater treatment works. We are continuing to investigate microplastics and the risks they may have to public health and to the environment. Defra is working with water companies to investigate microplastics detected during wastewater treatment and their potential to enter the receiving aquatic environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the progress of industry and businesses in developing cost-effective microplastic filter solutions for washing machines.

Defra officials gratefully received information which the honourable member kindly provided in her recent letter to me. The information was reported by a washing machine filter technology group describing solutions to tackling microplastics and microfibres as a product of washing textiles and clothing. Officials are currently assessing the details. The Government is concerned about the risks microplastics in our water environment may pose to public health and to the environment. Defra is working with water companies to investigate microplastics detected during wastewater treatment and their potential to enter the receiving aquatic environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to make a decision on the inclusion of decapod crustaceans in the Animal Welfare Act 2006; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on their inclusion in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The Government is committed to an evidence-based approach to improve welfare standards for decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs. Defra is commissioning research and expert opinion to inform any future policy decisions and welcomes the continued dialogue with stakeholders. No policy decisions have been made. The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the definition of animals in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to include (a) decapod crustaceans and (b) cephalopod molluscs.

The Government is committed to an evidence-based approach to improve welfare standards for decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs. Defra seeks to commission research and expert opinion to inform any future policy decisions and welcomes the continued dialogue with stakeholders.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made in building an evidence base on the fur sector.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector in Great Britain. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The AWC report will add to our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending food labelling legislation so that sourcing information of ingredients is required on pre-packed food and drink products.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable consumers to make informed decisions. Country of origin information is required for fresh and frozen meat of beef cattle, sheep, goat, pigs and poultry, as well as uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, wine and some fish products. It is also required for all prepacked food where its omission would be misleading to consumers. Additional labelling rules apply for foods with primary ingredients. For processed food, where the origin of the primary ingredient is different to that of the food itself and the origin of the food is given, an indication that the origin of the primary ingredient is different must also be provided, for example 'British cheese made with milk from Ireland.’ In any case, where an origin or provenance is given or indicated including when provided voluntarily this must always be accurate.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October to Question 6253 on Marine Protected Areas: Fisheries, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of continued bottom trawl fishing in parts of the North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef marine protected area on the (a) ecological integrity of the site and (b) achievement of its conservation objectives.

The Marine Protected Areas Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023, which came into force on 22 March 2024, prohibited the use of bottom-towed gear over the reef habitats of North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef Marine Protected Area. The Marine Management Organisation has been making further assessments of the impact of fishing activities on other designated habitats throughout the site and, if needed, will consult on further fishing restrictions. As mentioned in my answers to PQ 4529 and PQ 11005, the Department is considering next steps for this and other sites.