Written questions by Edwards.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing an independent regulator or ombudsman to support pet-owning households not currently covered by an existing regulatory or complaints framework.

Defra has not completed an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an independent regulator or ombudsman to support pet owners. The Competition and Markets Authority is conducting a market investigation into the provision of veterinary services for household pets. Its Provisional Decision Report was published on 15 October and is open for consultation until 12 November. Defra will consider any remedies from the final report when it is published in Spring 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the viability of small and medium-sized housing schemes.

The Government has recently consulted on how to improve biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This included options on exemptions and potential reduced thresholds for minor development. The Government is considering responses and will publish a summary of responses received as well as a Government response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government will consider the potential merits of (a) exemptions and (b) reduced thresholds for small and medium sized housebuilders under biodiversity net gain regulations.

The Government has recently consulted on how to improve biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This included options on exemptions and potential reduced thresholds for minor development. The Government is considering responses and will publish a summary of responses received as well as a Government response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the animal welfare strategy will include a commitment to help end the illegal puppy smuggling trade.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of puppy smuggling.

Due to the illegal nature of this activity, we cannot know the true extent of puppy and kitten smuggling operations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency plays a critical role in monitoring and intercepting animals that do not meet legal importation standards including those that are underage. As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish the animal welfare strategy before 6 November 2025.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the viability of small urban housing sites developed by SME housebuilders; and if he will review the (a) availability and (b) cost of biodiversity unit credits for such schemes.

The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for small developers to purchase off-site units, when BNG is not possible or viable to achieve on-site. Natural England maintains a national register of all off-site BNG land which continues to grow, increasing options and reducing costs for developers. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course. We are also on improving the operation of BNG for local planning authorities and SME housebuilders. We will continue to keep the wider local authority biodiversity administration and ecological requirements on SME housebuilders through the planning system under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the proportionality of biodiversity net gain survey requirements for small urban sites, in cases where (a) survey and (b) finance costs exceeded £30,000 for a compliance fee of under £500.

The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for small developers to purchase off-site units, when BNG is not possible or viable to achieve on-site. Natural England maintains a national register of all off-site BNG land which continues to grow, increasing options and reducing costs for developers. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course. We are also on improving the operation of BNG for local planning authorities and SME housebuilders. We will continue to keep the wider local authority biodiversity administration and ecological requirements on SME housebuilders through the planning system under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the availability of suitable off-site land for delivering biodiversity net gain in the vicinity of small urban sites.

The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for small developers to purchase off-site units, when BNG is not possible or viable to achieve on-site. Natural England maintains a national register of all off-site BNG land which continues to grow, increasing options and reducing costs for developers. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course. We are also on improving the operation of BNG for local planning authorities and SME housebuilders. We will continue to keep the wider local authority biodiversity administration and ecological requirements on SME housebuilders through the planning system under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the potential impact of variation in (a) local authority biodiversity administration and (b) ecological requirements on the ability of SME housebuilders to (i) forecast costs and (ii) deliver housing.

The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for small developers to purchase off-site units, when BNG is not possible or viable to achieve on-site. Natural England maintains a national register of all off-site BNG land which continues to grow, increasing options and reducing costs for developers. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course. We are also on improving the operation of BNG for local planning authorities and SME housebuilders. We will continue to keep the wider local authority biodiversity administration and ecological requirements on SME housebuilders through the planning system under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce a digitalised equine ID and traceability system to prevent illegal export of (a) horses, (b) donkeys (c) and ponies.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification and traceability. We have no current plans to implement mandatory digital identification, but we remain in close touch with the industry to look at potential improvements. Defra also regularly engages with officials in the devolved governments to discuss matters of equine identification and traceability. Officials also share data on equines located in the UK with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and with the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the Republic of Ireland. The majority of equine movements into and out of GB take place between the island of Ireland and GB.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made on the potential impact of extended producer responsibility for packaging on the glass industry.

Defra officials have engaged extensively with the glass sector in developing these reforms since 2019. Minister Creagh met with British Glass on 21 October 2024 and attended a glass re-use roundtable hosted by the British Beer & Pub Association on 14 January. Minister Creagh and Minister Jones, Minister of State at the both the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department of Business and Trade, met British Glass on the 11th February to discuss points raised by the glass sector in detail. Defra has responded to concerns from the glass sector about the inclusion of glass in the Deposit Return Scheme, it has remained out of scope as a result. Although packaging weight is a key driver of waste management costs, estimated packaging volumes, not packaging weight, are used to calculate kerbside dry recycling collections costs in pEPR to reflect practical limitations with collection systems. This is especially important for heavier materials such as glass, which would otherwise see higher base fees. Defra continues to monitor the potential impact of EPR fees on the glass industry through continued engagement and extensive analysis of the packaging market.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department will publish the revised Environmental Improvement Plan for 2025.

The Government has concluded a rapid review of the existing Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). We published a statement of the rapid review’s key findings on 30 January 2025. Publication of the revised EIP will follow later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure hospitality businesses are not double charged for the handling of their waste, in the context of the introduction of extended producer responsibility for packaging.

Under packaging extended producer responsibility, packaging producers are only liable for fees that cover the management of packaging waste collected from households. The regulations therefore make a distinction as to what is "household packaging" and what is not, so as to attribute those costs to producers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mandatory method of production labelling on all animal products.

The Government recognises the strong public interest in clearer animal welfare information on the food they buy. A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken between March and May 2024 by the previous Government. This sought views on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.