Written questions by Dyke.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will conduct an assessment of the value of agricultural land when making decisions to invest in flood defences being based on the value of the asset needing protection.

On 14 October, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The new rules will optimise funding between building new flood projects and maintaining existing defences and ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment.Our funding rules will support farming and rural communities and improve resilience against flood risk across the country.The old rules gave higher payment rates for properties than agricultural or environmental benefits. We are now giving equal weighting to all the different types of benefits – a positive change for rural areas.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of farmers having to store flood water on agricultural land on (a) feedstock, (b) grassland conditions, (c) crops and (d) food production for 2026/27.

This Government has allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament, including £5.9 billion for environmental farming schemes. The Government is focusing efforts on actions that have multiple benefits: for example, improving soil health so soil can hold more water, which reduces flood risk. Farmers contribute to and are affected by water-related challenges. The measures the Government is introducing will help British farming thrive and boost farmers’ resilience to flooding while protecting this country’s water resources and meeting environmental goals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what Government body is responsible for landfill sites that have been abandoned.

Defra is the lead Government department for waste policy, including that relating to landfill sites, both former and current. Responsibility for abandoned landfill sites at any given point in time is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of leachate on the aquatic environment as a result of landfill abandonment.

We recognise the potential impacts and threats presented from leachates entering into the environment, such as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the risks of these associated with abandoned landfill sites. Government is assessing options on ensuring that any environmental risks which stem from landfill sites, both current and former, are minimised. Prior to a landfill becoming abandoned, a conceptual site model and hydrogeological risk assessment must be undertaken to identify any potential risks to the aquatic environment. These risks must be mitigated throughout the operational life of the site.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Department officials on potential landfill abandonment due to improved environmental standards.

It is a long-standing convention that meetings between ministers and their officials to discuss matters of policy are not separately reported.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the relative cost benefit of attenuation ponds compared with repeated flood damage to (a) properties, (b) infrastructure and (c) agricultural land.

Attenuation ponds are deployed by Risk Management Authorities as a flood alleviation measure; they are determined by a range of factors including cost to benefit ratio and the standard of protection that can be achieved. In recent years, the highway sector has been innovative in its use of sustainable drainage and green infrastructure to help manage road flooding. A new three-year £4.2 billion Flood and Coastal Risk Investment Programme will start in April 2026, where new projects will align with the strategic objectives set out in the Government’s new funding rules announced in October 2025. This means investment goes where it is most needed, accounting for flood risk, value for money, natural flood management opportunity and additional contributions to make Government investment go further. This investment will benefit properties, infrastructure and agriculture. The Government and the Environment Agency are committed to improving England’s picture of flood and coastal erosion risk, including from surface water. The Environment Agency published its new National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) data in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of attenuation ponds in reducing both the volume and flow of run from major roads where such works were not considered necessary pre-1990.

Attenuation ponds are deployed by Risk Management Authorities as a flood alleviation measure; they are determined by a range of factors including cost to benefit ratio and the standard of protection that can be achieved. In recent years, the highway sector has been innovative in its use of sustainable drainage and green infrastructure to help manage road flooding. A new three-year £4.2 billion Flood and Coastal Risk Investment Programme will start in April 2026, where new projects will align with the strategic objectives set out in the Government’s new funding rules announced in October 2025. This means investment goes where it is most needed, accounting for flood risk, value for money, natural flood management opportunity and additional contributions to make Government investment go further. This investment will benefit properties, infrastructure and agriculture. The Government and the Environment Agency are committed to improving England’s picture of flood and coastal erosion risk, including from surface water. The Environment Agency published its new National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) data in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the average cost of producing a pint of milk in each of the last five years.

The average cost of production for milk is shown below. Data is from the Farm Business Survey which covers farm businesses in England with a Standard Output of more than £21,000. Whilst it captures the majority of agricultural activity, it excludes smaller businesses (which account for 2% of output).Production costs include all financial aspects of dairy enterprises such as unpaid labour, herd depreciation and an estimated rental equivalent for owned land. An allowance is also made for non-milk revenue (mostly the sale of dairy calves), which is applied as a reduction to cost. This reflects the value of by-products from milk production. The production costs therefore represent the price that would have to be paid on all milk produced for dairy enterprises to break even. The data includes organic production which is likely to incur higher production costs.Average cost of milk production (pence per litre) 2020/21 to 2024/252020/212021/222022/232023/242024/2528.336.448.644.244.9 Source: Farm Accounts in England

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average farmgate milk price was in each of the last five years.

Defra publishes monthly and annual milk prices on GOV.UK (Latest UK milk prices and composition of milk - GOV.UK). UK annual farmgate milk prices for the last five years are shown in the table below. Table: UK annual farmgate milk prices 2021-2025, pence per litre (ppl)YearPrice (ppl)202131.07202243.98202339.50202441.17202544.05

Food and Rural Affairs, when representatives from her Department last met with milk producers to discuss farmgate milk prices.

Defra officials regularly engage with stakeholders from across the UK dairy industry on a wide range of issues including farmgate milk prices. Engagement is undertaken in various forms including through ad hoc and regular meetings with industry bodies and individual dairy businesses and milk producers, farm visits and attendance at industry events..

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the single-year funding arrangement for the School Milk Subsidy Scheme on the financial sustainability of the school milk dairy supply chain.

This is a devolved matter, and this response applies to England only. The School Milk Subsidy Scheme is available in participating schools and supports the provision of milk, certain milk products and yoghurts. The administration of the scheme is renewed regularly, and funding decisions are made on a single or multi-year basis, influenced by the timing and the duration of departmental spending reviews. The volume of milk consumed under the scheme annually accounts for less than 1% of total UK milk production. It therefore has limited impact on the financial sustainability of those in the dairy supply chain who participate in the scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made on the potential impact of restricting bird sales through changes to bird show and gathering licences for (a) breeding Type Canaries and (b) protecting Britain’s native wild canary population.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings of poultry or other captive birds. In England, a licence to hold a bird gathering may be granted by Defra if a veterinary risk assessment has been carried out, and if the gathering, including the movement of birds to and from it, would not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of avian influenza virus. Detailed risk assessments can be found on Gov.UK. As legislation requires this to be a risk-based decision, assessments of the financial or breeding impacts have not been made. The restrictions on certain types of gatherings do not prevent direct sales of breeding birds or their progeny from a breeder’s own premises. There are no native wild canary populations in Britain.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential financial impact of the changes to bird show and gathering licences for (a) bird breeders, (b) seed merchants and (c) cage makers.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings of poultry or other captive birds. In England, a licence to hold a bird gathering may be granted by Defra if a veterinary risk assessment has been carried out, and if the gathering, including the movement of birds to and from it, would not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of avian influenza virus. Detailed risk assessments can be found on Gov.UK. As legislation requires this to be a risk-based decision, assessments of the financial or breeding impacts have not been made. The restrictions on certain types of gatherings do not prevent direct sales of breeding birds or their progeny from a breeder’s own premises. There are no native wild canary populations in Britain.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the impact of historic highway drainage systems on downstream flooding and water pollution.

Environment Agency (EA) water quality monitoring programmes identify where ‘urban and transport’ inputs are having a potential impact on a waterbody. Water quality monitoring data is publicly available here: Water Data Explorer | Engage Environment Agency. Highways authorities should address outfalls with the potential to pollute. Water and sewerage companies in England and Wales are currently developing their first statutory Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs), due to be published in 2027/28. These strategic plans identify risks to the companies’ drainage and sewerage networks and set out solutions for how those risks will be mitigated, including environmental risks, which could have implications for highways inputs. The EA also works with National Highways to assess the impacts of highway drainage on downstream flooding and water quality. They are working together to deliver actions in the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy Roadmap. This includes delivering multi-benefit, nature-based solutions that reduce flood risk, improve water quality and enhance biodiversity. The EA supports this through its flood investment programmes, catchment partnerships and use of national flood risk mapping to help target priority locations and future investment.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83876 on Eels: Conservation, what plans she has to review the root causes of these problems and to reverse the decline in the number of eels.

This is a devolved matter and therefore the response relates to England only. Actions to address the pressures on eels at the River Basin District scale are set out in Eel Management Plans, which the EA continue to deliver and report against. Additionally, as noted in response to Question 101014, Defra has recently funded three projects to improve eel management and conservation. Defra officials will meet with the Devolved Governments in early 2026 to review the current approaches to eel management across the UK nations.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83877 on Eels: Conservation, what research and development projects her Department are supporting through the allocated £350,000 to improve eel management and conservation; and over what time period will this funding be spent; and how this level of funding compares to budgets for similar purposes.

This is a devolved matter and therefore the response relates to England only. Defra’s funding will support three eel management and conservation projects for delivery in 2026: Developing silver eel escapement models to better estimate how many eels migrate to the sea, using survey results from the River FromeResearch to optimise the trap and transport of silver eels from landlocked water bodies and assess the success of onward migration of trap and transported eelsUpgrading and extending the life of satellite tags to track silver eels closer to their spawning grounds Due to the nature of research in the aquatic environment it is not possible to meaningfully compare costs, but all projects are assessed by Defra to ensure policy priorities will be delivered and demonstrate value for money.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much money has been spent on improving flood defences in Somerset since 2014.

Since the flooding of 2013/14, over £200 million of Flood and Coastal Risk Management Grant-in-Aid (FCRM GiA) and local levy has been spent on improving the standard of flood protection in the local authority areas of Somerset, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset. This is in addition to the annual budget of over £3 million for the Somerset Rivers Authority and the annual budget the Environment Agency has for repairing existing assets and individual property-level resilience programmes. Improvements have included dredging, building new flood defences, raising river banks and roads and upgrading existing flood defences. The Environment Agency has also spent additional money on providing a local stock of Ultra High Volume Pumps so they are guaranteed to be available in the event of a major incident.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much maintenance activity has been carried out on Somerset’s Main Rivers in the last a) year, b) 5 years and c) 10 years.

Since the flooding of 2013/14, over £47 million has been spent on operating flood defences and maintaining rivers in Somerset. This includes £4.7 million this financial year and over £24 million in the last five years. This includes the daily operation and maintenance of hundreds of flood defence assets across the Somerset Levels and Moors and on the coast, the clearing of vegetation from river channels, the management of flood storage reservoirs and the deployment of additional pumps after heavy rainfall. In addition to this, the Environment Agency also provides a flood warning service and incident response 365 days of the year.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the Small Abattoir Fund was spent by her Department prior to it's closure in 2024.

The Rural Payments Agency have offered agreements for the Smaller Abattoir Fund worth a total of £1,119,347.59. Smaller Abattoir Fund grants are claimed in arrears and as of 04 November 2025, £593,018.55 has been paid out under the scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to eradicate the Yellow-legged Asian hornet.

Defra is continuing to follow an eradication strategy against Yellow Legged Hornet (also known as Asian Hornet) to prevent this invasive non-native species from establishing in GB. Contingency action is delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). As of 23 October 2025, the APHA have found and destroyed a total of 155 Yellow Legged Hornet nests.