Written questions by Perkins.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of neonicotinoids that have been used since 2020 following an emergency authorisation on wildlife.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – are not permitted for general use because of the risks they pose to pollinators. However, emergency authorisations were granted by the previous Government for the use of the thiamethoxam-containing pesticide Cruiser SB to treat sugar beet seed in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Environmental monitoring activities were undertaken as a condition of the emergency authorisations for the use of Cruiser SB granted by the previous administration, alongside government-funded monitoring projects. The results of this monitoring work can be found within the HSE’s emergency registration reports, published on GOV.UK. This year I rejected the application for an emergency authorisation to use Cruiser SB on sugar beet in England. I did not take this decision lightly, considering expert advice from the Health and Safety Executive and Expert Committee on Pesticides, the Defra Chief Scientific Adviser and Defra economists. In making my decision, I recognised that the potential adverse effects to bees and other pollinators could not be excluded if the Cruiser SB authorisation were to be granted. In December last year we published a policy statement outlining our intention to end the use of these neonicotinoid pesticides for good. We will update the guidance that sets out the approach to decisions on applications for emergency authorisations to take full account of the importance of pollinators. Further, we will identify legislative options to prevent future use of emergency authorisations for products containing clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, which are extremely toxic to pollinators.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward the Forest Risk Commodities regulations to enact the Environment Act 2021 provisions on deforestation in supply chains.

We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. We will set out our approach to addressing deforestation in the UK’s supply chains in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support UK businesses to comply with (a) domestic and (b) EU regimes for the prevention of deforestation in supply chains.

Businesses are supported to comply with UK timber regulations through the Office for Product Safety and Standards. There is currently no domestic regime in place in relation to other commodities. Guidance in respect of complying with EU legislation is a matter for the European Commission.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendations within the Environmental Audit Committee's report entitled The UK's contribution to tackling global deforestation, published on 4 January 2024.

We note the recommendations put forward by the committee and recognise the important work that there is to be done.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency has spent on dredging rivers in each year since 2009.

The Environment Agency has no record of dredging the rivers Rother and Hipper during the last 10 years. The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes dredging to manage flood risk where it is technically effective, does not significantly increase flood risk for others downstream and is environmentally acceptable. In most places there are much more effective and efficient ways to better protect communities and increase their resilience to flooding, as part of a catchment-based approach. Whilst dredging is part of the solution in some locations, it is not a universal solution to what is a complex issue. Since 2009, the EA has spent the following amounts on dredging rivers. Note that more funding was used on dredging in 2016/17 mainly due the winter floods of 2015/16 and an additional £40 million resource funding that was announced in March 2016. This allowed teams to undertake more maintenance activities, including dredging. Financial YearChannel Maintenance (£M)Dredging (£M)2010/114552011/1239102012/134582013/143042014/1545122015/164792016/1759222017/185982018/194552019/204552020/213442021/222932022/233662023/24387

Food and Rural Affairs, when the (a) River Rother and (b) River Hipper was last dredged.

The Environment Agency has no record of dredging the rivers Rother and Hipper during the last 10 years. The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes dredging to manage flood risk where it is technically effective, does not significantly increase flood risk for others downstream and is environmentally acceptable. In most places there are much more effective and efficient ways to better protect communities and increase their resilience to flooding, as part of a catchment-based approach. Whilst dredging is part of the solution in some locations, it is not a universal solution to what is a complex issue. Since 2009, the EA has spent the following amounts on dredging rivers. Note that more funding was used on dredging in 2016/17 mainly due the winter floods of 2015/16 and an additional £40 million resource funding that was announced in March 2016. This allowed teams to undertake more maintenance activities, including dredging. Financial YearChannel Maintenance (£M)Dredging (£M)2010/114552011/1239102012/134582013/143042014/1545122015/164792016/1759222017/185982018/194552019/204552020/213442021/222932022/233662023/24387

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the regular dredging of rivers on flooding.

The Environment Agency has no record of dredging the rivers Rother and Hipper during the last 10 years. The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes dredging to manage flood risk where it is technically effective, does not significantly increase flood risk for others downstream and is environmentally acceptable. In most places there are much more effective and efficient ways to better protect communities and increase their resilience to flooding, as part of a catchment-based approach. Whilst dredging is part of the solution in some locations, it is not a universal solution to what is a complex issue. Since 2009, the EA has spent the following amounts on dredging rivers. Note that more funding was used on dredging in 2016/17 mainly due the winter floods of 2015/16 and an additional £40 million resource funding that was announced in March 2016. This allowed teams to undertake more maintenance activities, including dredging. Financial YearChannel Maintenance (£M)Dredging (£M)2010/114552011/1239102012/134582013/143042014/1545122015/164792016/1759222017/185982018/194552019/204552020/213442021/222932022/233662023/24387

Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the regular dredging of rivers.

The Environment Agency has no record of dredging the rivers Rother and Hipper during the last 10 years. The Environment Agency (EA) undertakes dredging to manage flood risk where it is technically effective, does not significantly increase flood risk for others downstream and is environmentally acceptable. In most places there are much more effective and efficient ways to better protect communities and increase their resilience to flooding, as part of a catchment-based approach. Whilst dredging is part of the solution in some locations, it is not a universal solution to what is a complex issue. Since 2009, the EA has spent the following amounts on dredging rivers. Note that more funding was used on dredging in 2016/17 mainly due the winter floods of 2015/16 and an additional £40 million resource funding that was announced in March 2016. This allowed teams to undertake more maintenance activities, including dredging. Financial YearChannel Maintenance (£M)Dredging (£M)2010/114552011/1239102012/134582013/143042014/1545122015/164792016/1759222017/185982018/194552019/204552020/213442021/222932022/233662023/24387

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the levels of yellow virus on sugar beet; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the use of Cruiser SB on sugar beet on wildlife.

Viruses transmitted by aphids can severely reduce yields of sugar beet crops. The degree of threat varies from location to location and from year to year. Decisions on emergency authorisation applications must be taken in line with legal requirements. In making these decisions, Ministers will take full account of the available evidence and expert advice.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) hybrid and (d) electric (i) cars, (ii) vans and (iii) other vehicles his Department hired in each of the last five years.

The data for Defra has been provided by our supplier of hire cars “Enterprise”. Data from Enterprise shows the following: Hires:FuelNo of hires Petrol5,171Diesel660EV/Hybrid174 Due to time constraints, we have only engaged with our main vehicle hire suppliers and not where vehicle hire will be supplied as a supplementary service on other contracts, i.e. Welfare Vans through the Plant Hire framework.