Written questions by Farron.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to review (a) restrictions on the use of virtual fencing technology under the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme and (b) the eligibility criteria for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.

The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme is due to end March 2026 and decisions on the future of the programme have not yet been made. The FiPL eligibility criteria for virtual fencing technology protects the highest standards of animal welfare and targets limited programme funding to priority environmental outcomes in Protected Landscapes. There are no plans to review the current approach. Following the outcome of the Spending Review, we are continuing work to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards, ensuring that grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish updated guidance on incorporating (a) blue-green algae and (b) other additional public health factors into bathing-water quality assessments.

The purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the protection of public health through the use of monitoring and classifications. Bathing waters are one of the most visible ways in which the public interacts with the water environment and so it is critical that appropriate regulations meet the needs of water users and those involved with managing bathing water sites. On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament an SI which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Coming into effect on 21 November 2025, these reforms include the scope to extend the bathing and monitoring season from 21 November 2025. We will continue to evaluate environmental and societal impacts of future reforms and engage stakeholders as we move to implementation. Current guidelines on Environment Agency and Local Authority roles during pollution incidents, including blue-green algae, remain valid.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a different classification system for lake ecosystems.

In the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, ‘Schedule 5, classification’ shows there are already different standards for inland waters and for coastal and transitional waters when measuring E coli and intestinal enterococci. This means there are varying classifications of water quality thresholds depending on pathogen levels in place at different locations, recognising the distinct natural characteristics and hydrodynamics that exist in different water environments. The SI that was laid 28 October and due to come into force 21 November this year will not change this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of current sampling coverage at designated bathing-water sites.

The Environment Agency (EA) monitors all designated bathing waters above the minimum monthly frequency requirement of the Bathing Water Regulations during the bathing water season. Most sites are sampled weekly, in line with the World Health Organisation’s recommendations to reduce misclassification risk. Data is published on the EA’s Swimfo bathing waters website, ensuring bathers can make informed decisions. On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament an SI which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Core reform 3 comes into force 21 November, introducing the discretion to determine a different bathing season for a site where appropriate, allowing locally tailored bathing seasons that reflect their use. We are working with the EA on a pre-implementation research project, where we will consult with stakeholders to ensure we have considered all the relevant factors. The outcome will be set out in public guidance to be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to increase spatial representation of sampling points around Lake Windermere including areas not currently designated as bathing-water locations.

The Environment Agency samples the designated bathing waters in Windermere according to the Bathing Water Regulations. Applications for new bathing water designations in Lake Windermere can be made to Defra if the criteria published on GOV.UK are met.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to allocate funding for the introduction of a (a) traffic-light system and (b) publicly accessible platform in the context of improving the communication of bathing-water results.

Swimfo, the Environment Agency’s (EA) bathing water quality website, provides details on over 450 bathing waters, classifications, pollution sources, and seasonal water quality results. From May to September, Swimfo posts daily forecasts for over 170 sites where water quality may be temporarily affected by factors like rainfall or tides, helping the public make informed choices quickly. The EA is exploring redevelopment opportunities to enhance communication and service delivery. This will include working with the public and key stakeholders to understand their needs and preferences for future developments of the system. The EA have also introduced several stabilisation measures to reduce service disruptions and will continue to enhance the resilience of Swimfo ahead of the next bathing season.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish a review comparing UK bathing-water (a) monitoring and (b) classification systems with international best practice.

Existing practices for monitoring and classification in the UK mirror the European Commission’s Bathing Water Directive which is based on the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for management of recreational waters. Environment Agency (EA) monitoring also currently exceeds the minimum requirements of the Bathing Water Directive at all Bathing Waters. The Government is committed to improving the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses it. We are continually working to improve and modernise our bathing waters system and learn from best practice. We laid an SI on 28 October, due to come into force on 21 November 2025 which introduces three core reforms and several technical amendments to the Bathing Water Regulations. These will bring legislation in line with modern sampling practices, allowing the EA to improve ways of working and improve delivery for the public.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) people swimming away from the shoreline and (b) all other lake users are considered in future bathing-water monitoring strategies.

The Bathing Water Regulations 2025 were laid before Parliament on 28 October 2025 and come into force 21 November 2025. Defra is committed to working with local and national stakeholders as work progresses to implement these Regulations. In the November – December 2024 consultation on bathing water reforms, views were also sought about further reforms to expand of the definition of ‘bathers’ to include other water users at both coastal and inland sites, and the use of multiple monitoring points at each bathing water site where useful to classify bathing water quality. We are now exploring further research and policy development to determine how best to implement these reforms and consider any potential environmental and societal impacts. Defra will engage with local and national stakeholders as this work progresses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current SwimFo system in helping the public understand bathing-water risks.

We know that local communities want to have a clear picture of water quality at popular bathing sites. The Environment Agency (EA) publishes sampling information during the bathing season on Swimfo to inform bathers of water quality and provide daily pollution risk warnings. This includes details on over 450 bathing waters, including classifications, pollution sources, and seasonal water quality results. Local Authorities use this information to provide bathing water quality information on physical signs at each bathing water. The EA has introduced several stabilisation measures to reduce service disruptions and will continue to enhance the resilience of Swimfo ahead of the next bathing season. They are also exploring redevelopment opportunities to enhance its communication and improve its service delivery. This will include working with the public and key stakeholders to understand their needs and preferences for future developments of the system.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to move away from multi-year averages and adopt a more real-time approach to reporting bathing-water quality data.

On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament an SI which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Core reform 3, due to come into force 21 November, introduces the discretion to determine a different bathing season for a site where appropriate, enabling flexible, locally tailored bathing seasons that reflect its use. The Environment Agency (EA) sample throughout the season, and data is published regularly on the EA’s Swimfo bathing waters website ensuring the public can make an informed decision before entering the water. Where bathing water quality is not consistently excellent the EA makes pollution risk forecasts each day using an analysis of previous samples and notifies the public through the Swimfo website and on signage at the site in this event.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to allocate funding to ensure that bathing-water sampling in Lake Windermere takes place year-round rather than seasonally.

On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament a Statutory Instrument which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Core reform 3, which is due to come into force 21 November, introduces discretion to determine a different bathing season for a site where appropriate, allowing more flexible, locally tailored bathing seasons that reflect when people use the site. We are working with the Environment Agency (EA) on a pre-implementation research project which will consult with stakeholders to ensure we have considered all the relevant factors. The outcome of this project will be set out in public guidance that will be published in due course. Currently, the EA samples regularly throughout the season and this will continue with any bathing site extensions under core reform 3. This data is published regularly on the EA’s Swimfo bathing waters website ensuring the public can make an informed decision before entering the water.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce a pollution risk costing model for Windermere based on Environment Agency modelling of other mainly coastal designated bathing sites.

The Environment Agency currently provides pollution forecasting at 171 coastal sites and is exploring the feasibility of providing a forecast for inland sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the number of properties in each flood risk zones that does not have insurance.

Flood Re is a joint Government and industry scheme enabling households at high flood risk to access affordable insurance. Since launch, over 650,000 properties have benefitted, with 346,000 policies supported in 2024/25. Before Flood Re, average premiums for flood-affected homes were around £4,400; now they are approximately £1,100. Defra continues working with Flood Re and insurers to monitor affordability, support resilience, and improve outcomes through schemes like Build Back Better and the PFR Grant, alongside engagement with industry leaders at an insurance roundtable to ensure access to affordable coverage and fair claims for flood-prone homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to fund flooding defence systems in winter 2025-26.

This Government is investing £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) into our flood resilience. Since July last year, the Environment Agency has delivered 151 flood defence schemes, better protecting over 24,000 homes and businesses. It is poised to deliver more, across all of England, benefiting thousands of homes, supporting economic growth and unlocking new land for development. Following years of under-investment, we inherited flood defences in their worst state on record – the condition of key defences in England was at the lowest it had been since 2009/10. By redirecting £108 million into urgent flood and coastal defence maintenance we have halted the decline.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the average insurance premiums for properties in each flood risk zone in each of last five years.

Flood Re is a joint Government and industry scheme enabling households at high flood risk to access affordable insurance. Since launch, over 650,000 properties have benefitted, with 346,000 policies supported in 2024/25. Before Flood Re, average premiums for flood-affected homes were around £4,400; now they are approximately £1,100. Defra continues working with Flood Re and insurers to monitor affordability, support resilience, and improve outcomes through schemes like Build Back Better and the PFR Grant, alongside engagement with industry leaders at an insurance roundtable to ensure access to affordable coverage and fair claims for flood-prone homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure farmers receive support for instances of flooding in winter 2025-26.

To support rural communities and farmers, we: are funding actions to improve the environment, mitigate flood risk, and boost resilience such as natural flood management, through the Environmental Land Management schemes.are investing over £300 million in natural flood management under the Government’s new flood investment programme, the highest figure to date for the floods programme.have provided £91 million in funding to internal drainage boards , supporting greater flood resilience for farmers and rural communities already benefiting over 400,000 hectares of farmland and over 200,000 properties, and will avoid around £10 billion of economic damage.have established the Rural Flood Resilience Partnership, a collaboration with the Environment Agency and rural stakeholders to support agricultural businesses in adapting to increase their resilience to flood risks.have introduced the Flood Resilience Taskforce, where the NFU has a seat at the table, which will enhance coordination between central Government local authorities, local communities and emergency services to better protect communities across the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the estimated cost of flood losses for (a) insured properties and (b) uninsured properties in each year since 2015.

The Evidence on the Costs of Floods in England and Wales, covers the 2016 to 2019 period and the Estimating the Economic Costs of the 2015 to 2016 Winter Floods covers 2015 through to 2016. Flood Re has enabled over 660,000 households to access affordable flood insurance since its launch, with 346,200 policies ceded in 2024/25 alone. Prior to Flood Re, average premiums for flood-affected homes were around £4,400, compared to £1,100 in 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding the Environment Agency received in each of the last five years.

The EA’s total budget for 2025/26 is £2,274 million. This is an increase of £188 million compared with its £2,086 million budget in 2024/25. YearTotal budget2025/26£2,274m2024/25£2,086m2023/24£1,961m2022/23£1,704m2021/22£1,627m

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding the Environment Agency received for river and stream maintenance in each of the last five years.

As the EA operates at arm’s length from its sponsor department, Defra, it is for the EA to determine how much of its budget it spends on maintenance under its remit.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to make an assessment of how effectively public health can be incorporated into a new water framework.

Public Health outcomes are a key gap in the current legislative framework. The Independent Water Commission recommended the Chief Medical Officers of England and Wales establish taskforces to review the incorporation of public health better into the water legislative framework. The Government will work closely with the Chief Medical Officers and the Department of Health and Social Care to consider how to best create a legal framework that reflects latest research around public health outcomes.