Written questions by Dyke.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to add (a) bale breakers, (b) handheld (i) pH and (ii) EC meters, (c) in situ soil sensors, (d) wireless data loggers and (e) fogging units for in-house propagation with (A) irrigation and (B) nutrition feeding capabilities to the future of farming equipment list.

The latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund closed for applications on 10/07/25. We are continuing to work to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards following the Spending Review and ensuing business planning to ensure our grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will establish a long-term resource use target through the circular economy strategy.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero. Moving away from the linear make, use and throw model is vital to meeting our Net Zero and Environment Targets. The Government recognises the importance of assessing the impacts of our interventions and will consult on options for this when we publish the proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy for England in the coming autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic merits of implementing circular economy models.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources are in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we stimulate innovation, create thousands of green jobs, and unlock economic opportunities across every region of the country. As part of that, the Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to move us towards a circular economy, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to support a consumer right to repair through the Circular Economy Strategy.

Defra recognises that repair and reuse are fundamental tenets of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. We will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy for England.

How many community hospital beds will be provided in each of the next five years in Somerset.

The number of community hospital beds operational varies over the course of the year in response to supply and demand. For example, fewer beds are needed during the summer.The Government expects neighbourhood services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While we will be clear on the outcomes that we expect, we will give significant licence to tailor the approach to local need, and while the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, or deprived inner cities.Through our National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), we will work with places across all systems to spread and scale up good practice and learning, create exemplars, and build the culture and capability required for delivery. This will be an inclusive large-scale change programme for all system partners.

With reference to the 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, published on 3 July 2025, what his planned timescale is for NHS Foundation Trusts to deliver additional services within communities.

As per the 10-Year Health Plan, for the very best National Health Service foundation trusts there will be a new opportunity to hold the whole health budget for a local population as an Integrated Health Organisation (IHO). The intention is to designate a small number of these new IHOs in 2026, with a view to them becoming operational in 2027.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether farmers in Higher Level Stewardship schemes will be able to apply for the new Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes.

Our approach to transitioning farmers from existing agreements into the new schemes is under review and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is currently closed for new applications. We will provide further details about the reformed SFI in summer 2025. We encourage those with existing Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements to continue with this scheme. We’re investing £30 million to increase HLS payment rates so farmers in HLS agreements can continue to restore habitats, support rare species, preserve historic features and maintain traditional landscape features in our iconic countryside.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, what discussions he has had with relevant regulatory bodies on the potential merits of transposing this Directive as it relates to honey into domestic law.

Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey was transposed in each of the four UK nations through the relevant domestic Honey Regulations. Directive (EU) 2024/1438 creates additional requirements relating to country of origin labelling for blended honey and ensuring honey authenticity. The UK has a thriving and diverse honey market which gives consumers access to a wide range of products, from mono-floral varieties to single country origins as well as blended honeys, at a wide range of price points. Directive (EU) 2024/1438 applies in Northern Ireland under Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework. The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland recently issued a public consultation on the transposition and enforcement of Directive 2024/1438 with respect to honey which closed on 14 May 2025. The responses are currently being assessed. At the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU agreed work towards an UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (‘SPS Agreement’) to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. The scope of the agreement remains subject to negotiation but is expected to include key marketing and compositional standards, including rules on honey. Common rules on honey would pave the way for easier and smoother trading both across the UK and with the EU.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance his Department is providing to farming businesses wishing to implement fire suppression measures on agricultural machinery.

Fire suppression equipment for agricultural machinery is not currently in scope of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. The Fund provides grants towards the costs of equipment to improve productivity, manage slurry and improve animal health and welfare. There were 66 items of eligible productivity equipment in the latest round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund which closed for applications on 10 July 2025. Eligible items are assessed on their productivity and environmental benefits, and the highest scoring equipment is included – a selection process carried out with industry stakeholders.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Directive (EU) 2024/1438 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK on the regulation of honey production.

Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey was transposed in each of the four UK nations through the relevant domestic Honey Regulations. Directive (EU) 2024/1438 creates additional requirements relating to country of origin labelling for blended honey and ensuring honey authenticity. The UK has a thriving and diverse honey market which gives consumers access to a wide range of products, from mono-floral varieties to single country origins as well as blended honeys, at a wide range of price points. Directive (EU) 2024/1438 applies in Northern Ireland under Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework. The Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland recently issued a public consultation on the transposition and enforcement of Directive 2024/1438 with respect to honey which closed on 14 May 2025. The responses are currently being assessed. At the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU agreed work towards an UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (‘SPS Agreement’) to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. The scope of the agreement remains subject to negotiation but is expected to include key marketing and compositional standards, including rules on honey. Common rules on honey would pave the way for easier and smoother trading both across the UK and with the EU.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund will support farm businesses implementing fire suppression measures on agricultural machinery.

Fire suppression equipment for agricultural machinery is not currently in scope of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. The Fund provides grants towards the costs of equipment to improve productivity, manage slurry and improve animal health and welfare. There were 66 items of eligible productivity equipment in the latest round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund which closed for applications on 10 July 2025. Eligible items are assessed on their productivity and environmental benefits, and the highest scoring equipment is included – a selection process carried out with industry stakeholders.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to help tackle the mis-labelling of honey products.

The Government takes any type of food fraud very seriously, including honey mislabelling. It recognises the importance of protecting food standards and has set minimum quality standards for many foods, including honey. All honey on sale must comply with the Honey (England) Regulations 2015 which set out detailed specifications of its composition, labelling, and quality criteria. Defra works closely with enforcement authorities and with the National Food Crime Unit to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration or mislabelling, meets our high standards and maintains a level playing field between honey producers. Defra has an active programme of research dedicated to honey authenticity testing best practice to ensure fitness for purpose and use of standardised approaches to support enforcement of honey labelling rules.

Communities and Local Government, whether any Town Fund projects under the Town Deals programme have applied for an extension.

The 2024 October Budget announcement set out a 12-month extension to the original Town Deals deadline. All Town Deal monies must now be spent by March 2027. For a minority of projects delivery will continue after this point, for example where match funding is being used to complete the works. No funding recipients have requested an exemption to spend their grant beyond this date.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 4.62 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what proportion of flood defence spending from 2026-27 to 2028-29 will be allocated to Somerset.

We’re investing £2.65 billion over two years to March 2026 to maintain, repair, and build flood defences. We’re committing a further £4.2 billion over three years from April 2026, an increase of 5% per year, as announced at Spending Review 2025. We’re consulting on proposals for reforming flood defence funding, protecting all communities including rural, coastal, and poorer areas. The list of projects to receive government funding will be consented on an annual basis through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation.

If she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of developing a strategy on supporting LGBTQ people in care.

We want everyone, including LGBT+ people, to have fair access to high quality care, which is respectful and inclusive.The government recently introduced a new qualification to improve our training offer to social care staff on being supportive and caring of everyone.We’ve launched an Independent Commission into adult social care which will work with people from all backgrounds drawing on care and their families, to build a National Care Service that meets the needs of the whole population.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to deliver devolution to councils that are not part of the Devolution Priority Programme.

We want to see all of England access devolved powers by establishing Strategic Authorities that can make the key decisions to drive economic growth. Our ultimate goal is to have all of England represented by a mayor who can take their seat at the Council of Nations and Regions.That is why the government is currently delivering the Devolution Priority Programme, intending to see a new wave of Mayoral Strategic Authorities established in May 2026. Beyond that, our intention remains to continue to fill the map, extending devolution to all corners of England as soon as possible. The timings and process for future waves beyond the Devolution Priority Programme will be subject to further decisions, including at the upcoming Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the European Commission's document 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) the phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and (b) extending UK animal welfare standards to imported products.

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. We will be outlining more details in due course. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and we have been clear we will protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals. We await the EU Commission proposals with interest.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to require the (a) import and (b) sale of (i) eggs, (ii) pork and (ii) fur to meet UK animal welfare standards.

Ministers and officials meet regularly to address these important topics. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards. The Government recognises the concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of a sales ban on imported (a) eggs and (b) egg products produced on farms that use battery cages.

Ministers and officials meet regularly to address these important topics. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards. The Government recognises the concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.

Communities and Local Government, whether consumer standards set by the Regulator for Social Housing apply to socially rented residential pitches on local authority (a) owned and (b) managed Gypsy and Traveller sites.

All registered providers of social housing, including local authorities, are required to deliver the outcomes of the consumer standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing (‘the regulator’). The regulatory standards apply to social housing as defined by the Housing and Regeneration Act (2008). The Act defines low-cost rental accommodation as accommodation rented below market rate and made available to those whose needs may not be adequately served by the commercial market. Socially rented residential homes on local authority owned or managed Gypsy and Traveller sites will be subject to the regulator’s consumer standards if they meet the definition of social housing under the Act.