Written questions by Dhesi.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has any recent discussions with the Environment Agency regarding the removal of flytipped rubbish beside Stoke Road and the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department has recently given to (a) local authorities and (b) the Environment Agency to assist with the removal of large-scale fly-tipped waste.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with Slough Borough Council on their legal duty to remove fly-tipped waste located beside Stoke Road and the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent legislative steps she has taken to protect marine life.

The Government is committed to protecting and improving the marine environment at home and internationally to meet the global commitment to protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. The Government introduced legislation on 10 September 2025 to enable the UK to implement its obligations under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement and move towards ratification. The Act received Royal Assent on 12 February. Further secondary legislation will be required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the UK. This will happen when the parliamentary timetable allows. Under the BBNJ Agreement, the Conference of the Parties can establish area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas, in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Once we have ratified the Agreement, as a Party the UK will be able to participate fully in decisions on the establishment of such tools. We continue to take legislative and non-legislative steps to protect our domestic marine environments. The Marine Recovery Fund was established on 17 December 2025 with secondary legislation laid on the same date. The MRF’s aim is to help accelerate decision-making within the planning and consenting process for offshore wind, while delivering effective compensation to protect the marine environment. Government has also laid secondary legislation on 26 February to create a more flexible approach to environmental compensation for offshore wind, whilst also unlocking opportunities for nature recovery at scale. In June 2025, the Marine Management Organisation launched a consultation proposing plans to limit bottom trawling in a further 41 MPAs, covering 30,000 sq km of England’s waters. Defra also launched a consultation on proposed changes to the marine licensing process. Defra and the Marine Management Organisation are carefully considering all responses received before making any decisions on future legislation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of bottom trawling on (a) the environment and (b) marine life.

Bottom trawling can damage the seabed and marine life if used in the wrong place but also provides catch that is important for food production and supports the fishing industry. Defra is taking an evidence‑based approach to managing fishing impacts. This includes taking steps to ensure that our Marine Protected Areas are properly protected. The Marine Management Organisation last year ran a consultation on proposals to restrict bottom trawling in a further 41 Marine Protected Areas, following an assessment of the impacts. It is now carefully analysing the large number of responses received, and decisions will be made in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made on the banning of snares.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. This was recently reaffirmed in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Defra is now actively looking to bring a ban on snares into force as swiftly as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on the potential environmental impact of their use of pesticides in public places.

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan, published last year, sets out actions we will take to increase awareness and knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies across all sectors. Last year I chaired a roundtable on pest and weed management in urban settings to hear directly from representatives from local authorities and councils. This highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer learning, and Defra will continue to encourage local authorities to share knowledge that promotes best practice. Defra funded an update to the Parks for London Integrated Weed Management guide.This ensures that up to date guidance is now freely available to all amenity managers, including in local authorities, to help to promote the sustainable management of our public spaces.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 88 of the policy paper entitled UK Government Resilience Action Plan, published on 14 July 2025, how many meetings have been attended by civil servants within their Department in relation to the Home Defence Programme; which directorate in the Department owns the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme; and what the job title is of the civil servant leading and cohering the Departmental contribution to the Home Defence Programme.

The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. Defra officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the implementation of the Resilience Action Plan as well as matters of national security and defence. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is actively contributing to this work with a team coordinating the department’s planning for home defence. This is overseen by the Director for Ministerial, Growth & Resilience, currently SRO for the Home Defence Programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.

Officials from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat. As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack. Defra is actively supporting this work, with the National and Economic Security Team within the department’s Ministerial Growth and Resilience Directorate leading the coordination of contributions to discussions, including CNI responsibilities for Food and Water supply resilience.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 88 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, how many meetings Ministers in their Department have attended related to the Home Defence Programme.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience. The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is actively supporting this work.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to help tackle the use of catapults to injure wildlife in Slough constituency.

The Government takes crimes against wildlife seriously, including those involving the use of catapults, in Slough or anywhere else in the country. Although catapults are not listed as prohibited weapons in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, within this and other legislation there are a range of offences around deliberate attempts to kill, injure or inflict harm on wild animals. The Government therefore believes sufficient legislation is already in place to protect them from targeted use of catapults. Defra is also a principal funder of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. However, Defra recognises the misuse of catapults is causing great concern to some local communities and it is working with the Home Office to find solutions to this problem with the aim of increasing protection to our wildlife from crimes involving these weapons.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on enforcement against flytipping in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire.

The Secretary of State has not had recent direct discussions with local authorities in Slough or Berkshire on fly-tipping enforcement. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties such as local councils, the Environment Agency, National Farmers Union and National Police Chiefs Council, to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. We continue to encourage and support councils to make good use of their enforcement powers. For example, we are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. Additionally, following a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, we have issued best practice guidance on the website on the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group. This will support councils to make better use of their power to seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers and action that could lead to selling or destroying the vehicle.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle flytipping in Slough constituency.

The Secretary of State has not had recent direct discussions with local authorities in Slough or Berkshire on fly-tipping enforcement. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties such as local councils, the Environment Agency, National Farmers Union and National Police Chiefs Council, to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. We continue to encourage and support councils to make good use of their enforcement powers. For example, we are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. Additionally, following a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, we have issued best practice guidance on the website on the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group. This will support councils to make better use of their power to seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers and action that could lead to selling or destroying the vehicle.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent engagement the Department has had with animal protection groups regarding plans for the activity regulations for the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad. The Act grants enforcement powers to Trading Standards in England and the Department for the Economy for Northern Ireland to monitor compliance of future regulations. It is important that any regulations are effective and work in practice, and as set out in the animal welfare strategy published in December 2025, we are continuing to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will be setting out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered the potential merits of including glass in the proposed deposit protection scheme.

Following consultations in 2019 and 2021, an extensive review of evidence was carried out in addition to engagement with industry stakeholders which informed our decision to exclude glass drinks containers from the Deposit Return Scheme. Glass drinks containers are included in the scope of the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to help reduce dog bites.

The Government has reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. The taskforce is considering four themes: educating the public on how to stay safe around dogs, training for both dogs and their owners, enforcement, and improving data on dog attacks. We look forward to receiving its findings and recommendations in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with colleagues in the Department for Education regarding steps taken to increase awareness of the dangers of swimming in (a) cold water, (b) open water among school-age children.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Swimming and water safety is a vital life skill. Swimming and water safety are compulsory elements of the PE National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2. In addition, the changes made to the Government’s statutory RSHE guidance will ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water. This will help ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water. The Government is also providing a grant of up to £300,000 to deliver Inclusion 2028 – a programme which upskills teachers to deliver high quality, inclusive PE, including swimming and water safety, to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the bird shooting industry on (a) native bird populations and (b) the natural environment.

Defra has considered the potential impact of the bird shooting industry in a range of ways. In 2020, Defra considered the ecological impact of gamebird release and commissioned an assessment, as well as identifying evidence gaps for further work. In 2021, Defra launched a three-year Gamebird Research Programme to fill those gaps. Project reports, to be published at https://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/ will be reviewed and inform future policy. Since 2021 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has become a threat to our vulnerable bird populations. In 2022, at the request of Defra the Animal and Plant Health Agency assessed the risk of released gamebirds spreading HPAI to wild birds. In 2023 Defra and Natural England reviewed Schedule 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This lists wild bird species which can be shot during their open season. Natural England recommended greater protection for some of the species to ensure that such shooting is sustainable and does not undermine the conservation status of the species. Defra will consult on proposals shortly. There is evidence linking gamebird shooting to illegal raptor persecution. Defra funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to assist law enforcers investigating this national wildlife crime priority.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of penalties for those who have committed crimes related to wildlife.

Wildlife crime is unacceptable and significant sanctions are already available for judges to hand down to those convicted of such crimes. Anyone who commits an offence under existing legislation such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 could face up to a six-month custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine. Sentencing of those convicted of wildlife crimes remains a matter for judges, and these decisions are rightly taken independently of the Government. In addition, while the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 protects animals that are commonly domesticated, it can extend to wildlife as it prohibits causing unnecessary suffering to wild animals under human control, for example when they are held in a hand or caught live in a trap. Under this Act the maximum sentence for animal cruelty is five years, which is equal to the highest penalty in the world for such crimes. In the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy published in December 2025, a commitment was made to review and look to strengthen penalties for cruelty against wildlife more generally so that a disparity is addressed and they are consistent with the higher levels of sentencing available for animal welfare offences against pets, livestock and wild animals when under human control.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 99506 on Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), whether the upcoming PFAS Plan will commit to the Health & Safety Executive's (HSE’s) suggestions, following on from the RMOA and the HSE UK REACH Work Programme 2024-25, to restrict PFAS in wide dispersive uses and PFAS in consumer products.

The Government’s approach to PFAS includes consideration of appropriate regulatory interventions as well as other actions, and more details will be provided in the PFAS Plan when it is published. We recognise that PFAS is used in a wide range of contexts, including wide dispersive uses and in consumer products. Current work includes a 6 month HSE consultation on whether to restrict the wide dispersive use of PFAS in fire-fighting foams, as one of the largest sources of direct releases of PFAS to the environment.