Written questions by Opher.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the long-term strategic investment required to support flood mitigation along the Severn Estuary.

We are committed to supporting coastal communities and ensuring flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future. We will work to improve resilience and preparation across central government and local authorities to better protect communities across the UK. As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, a record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years in building, maintaining and repairing flood defences, better protecting communities across the country, including from coastal erosion, as we adapt to climate change Regional Flood and Coastal Committees play a key role in bringing these schemes together, making local choices and agreeing the final programmes in their areas. The Environment Agency is undertaking computer based hydraulic modelling of the Severn Estuary to understand current and future flood risk. Using this information, improvements to existing flood schemes and construction of new flood schemes can then be planned in accordance with Government policy.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a regional allocation system similar to flood and coastal management funding to support local authorities and public bodies in implementing the national adaptation plan.

Local authorities have a critical role in responding to the impacts of climate change in their areas. The Government is currently reviewing its approach to Climate Adaptation, including the tools and support we give to Local Authorities. in terms of finance, the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the Capital Grant scheme for farmers will re-open for applications.

Defra announced on the 24 February that the Environmental Land Management standalone Capital Grants scheme will re-open in summer 2025. We will confirm the date it will re-open in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve data reporting on consumption emissions, in the context of commitments made during the Climate and Nature Bill Second Reading debate on 24 January 2025.

This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate and nature crises and has agreed steps to take forward the spirit and substance of the Climate and Nature Bill with the Bill’s Sponsors. An update on these steps will be set out in a Ministerial Statement by the autumn. Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK – including UK consumption emission figures - is published by Defra and is available up to 2021: Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK . Figures are due to be updated in the Spring.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to implement changes to binding commitments on nature protection, in the context of assurances made during the Climate and Nature Bill Second Reading debate on 24 January 2025.

The Government is committed to deliver for nature, taking action to meet our Environment Act targets, to restore and protect our natural world. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets. 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, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the release of wild beavers in the River Frome.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government recently confirmed its position on the wild release of beavers in an announcement on 28 February. A licence is needed to release any beavers into the wild. Applications will be considered against comprehensive wild release criteria. These criteria have been designed to ensure only high-benefit, low-risk projects are licenced, and that beavers are reintroduced at a measured pace in a well-managed way. We want to make sure that support is available to help beavers and people live alongside each other. Our 5-step beaver management approach ensures effective management of beavers and supports people to live alongside them. Building on the approach that we have already developed for wild release and management, we will collaboratively develop a management plan for the long-term reintroduction and recovery of beaver populations in England.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to strengthen the National Adaptation Programme.

Alongside delivering a new National Adaptation Programme we are committed to strengthening the nation’s resilience, and we are considering a range of options to better embed climate adaptation across the whole of Government. This includes:further work to assess and strengthen the framework of objectivesImproving our governance and monitoring of progressAnd a renewed focus on translating evidence into actionWe will have more to say on this strengthened approach to climate change adaptation in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the review of the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority funding formula; and if he will set a timeline for completion.

Defra is aware of the complex funding challenges in Devon and Severn IFCA and is working with all local authorities within its membership to review the funding formula and how the IFCA can operate on a more sustainable basis. Engagement with local authorities is concluding and we expect to receive advice on the proposed way forward later this year. Any changes will require consultation and an amendment to the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Order (2010). We have recently published the third IFCA Conduct and Operations Report (covering the period 2018 to 2022) from which we have requested a wider look at the IFCA funding model.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had discussions with the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries on the UN Global Plastics Treaty.

The UK Government, at all stages of the INC process, has made it a priority to engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the plastics value chain, including trade associations representing fossil fuel and petrochemical industries. We partnered with the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network to run the UK Treaty Dialogues ahead of each round of negotiations, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to help us understand the variety of views on the draft treaty.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the introduction of a binding global target to cut all forms of primary plastic polymer production.

The UK supports a global target on the sustainable production of primary plastic polymers. Last year, at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a treaty to end plastic pollution, the UK endorsed a statement calling for all countries to commit to achieving sustainable levels of primary plastic production and for a global target.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the negotiations for a global plastics treaty.

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, what steps his Department is taking to develop recycling technologies for end-of-life wind turbine blades and solar panels.

This Government is committed to transition to a circular economy. We are developing a Circular Economy Strategy for England including a series of road maps detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis, supporting Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower. In our manifesto we also committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviours to ensure we can all take pride in our communities. With regard to solar panels, they are electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). This is regulated to reduce the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) incinerated or sent to landfill sites. The WEEE Regulations 2013 require the producers of electrical equipment, including solar panels, to take financial responsibility for products they place on the market when they become waste.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory codes of practice for businesses to reduce litter.

The Government is not, at this time, planning to make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory codes of practice for businesses to reduce litter.We want to see businesses recognising what they can do to discourage the littering of their products and packaging, and the potential benefits to their brand of being associated with tackling, rather than causing, litter. Local councils do, however, have powers to intervene where needed. These include Community Protection Notices which can be used to require the owner of premises to take certain actions to tackle litter created by their activities. Planning guidance also clarifies the powers available to councils to ensure new hot food takeaways do not increase the impact of litter on local communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to repeal the 2031 deadline for registering public rights of way.

Ministers are considering the further implementation of the rights of way reform programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to move the regulation of sludge used on agricultural land from the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 into the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, as outlined in the Environment Agency strategy for safe and sustainable sludge use.

The Government is working with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for sludge. We recognise the importance of improving the regulatory framework, however, further work is required before any proposal for change may be progressed.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on introducing mandatory reporting for food businesses on (a) health and (b) environmental metrics.

This Government is committed to tackling the challenges faced by our health system with the shift to prevention central to this ambition. Under the Government’s Health Mission we are considering what preventative action is needed to support people live longer, healthier lives, to reduce the amount of time spent in ill health, tackle health inequalities and drive economic growth. We face an obesity crisis and will explore the most impactful interventions to shift food business sales to healthier food. Defra is not planning to introduce a sector-specific legislative requirement for food and drink companies to report metrics related to the environment such as greenhouse gas emissions. This is because the Department for Business and Trade are currently considering the endorsement of the International Sustainability Disclosure Standards, to create UK Sustainability Reporting Standards that may include reporting against some environmental metrics. The Government and Financial Conduct Authority will consider whether to mandate these Standards for certain economically significant entities across all sectors. Through the Food Data Transparency Partnership, Defra is supporting food and drink businesses with greenhouse gas emissions reporting by standardising the data and methods used by the industry. The initial focus has been on GHG emissions, where the science and the reporting requirements are most mature. Moving forwards, the ambition is to consider a broad range of environmental metrics beyond carbon.