Written questions by Atkins.

Food and Rural Affairs, on which dates the Water Delivery Taskforce has met.

Defra has established a Water Delivery Taskforce to ensure that water companies deliver on their planned investments to provide water and wastewater capacity. It ensures that water availability and wastewater capacity are not a constraint on growth. The Water Delivery Taskforce first met in April 2025 and has convened on a six-weekly cycle since, including meetings in June, July, September, November, and December 2025. Its next meeting is scheduled for February 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many of the 88 recommendations proposed in the independent report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, published in July 2025, are included in her Department's policy paper entitled A new vision for water: white paper, published on 20 January 2026.

Defra thoroughly reviewed the Independent Water Commission’s final report in its entirety, and the White Paper sets out our overall response to the Commission’s recommendations. This Government’s priority is to deliver the best possible outcomes for customers, the environment and investors through this once-in-a-generation reform of the water sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 on the number of wildfires, including their incidence, scale, and severity.

Burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires, while wetter, healthy-functioning peatlands are more resilient to the impacts of wildfire. In developing the Amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, the Department considered the potential impacts of burning practices on wildfire risk, drawing on published evidence, responses to the public consultation and engagement with the National Fire Chiefs Council, and Fire and Rescue Services. The Regulations enhance protection of upland peatlands by expanding restrictions on burning practices, with the aim of reducing long‑term wildfire risk and improving landscape resilience.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled A New Vision for Water, published on 20 January 2026, if she plans to publish the Transition Plan on a sitting day of the House this year.

The Transition Plan will be published in 2026. It will set clear direction on priorities, sequencing, and engagement, giving the sector confidence as reforms begin and ahead of the introduction of an upcoming water bill.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled A New Vision for Water, published on 20 January 2026, what estimate she has made of the number of cattle farms that could be impacted by an extension of the environmental permit regime.

Government announced its intention to develop options for consultation on extension of environmental permitting to dairy and intensive beef farms through the Environmental Improvement Plan published in December last year. The Government is looking to develop a proportionate risk-based approach with requirements focussed on the most polluting farms.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled A New Vision for Water, published on 20 January 2026, what estimate she has made of the average annual cost of complying with the environmental permit regime for an average cattle farm.

An environmental permit would require regulated businesses to apply measures to reduce pollution. The cost of complying with a permit would depend on which pollution measures they would be required to adopt, which would depend largely on the type of farm and the risk it poses to the environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 35691 on Dover Port Health Authority: Finance, how much funding his Department plans to provide to Dover Port Health Authority in the 2025-26 financial year.

Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the details of a potential UK-US trade deal.

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 discussions he has had with the Dover Port Health Authority on funding for the 2025-26 financial year.

Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has confirmed funding for the Dover Port Health Authority for the 2025-26 financial year.

Defra remains committed to agreeing a funding model with Dover Port Health Authority to help tackle illegal imports. The Government’s fiscal position is challenging, and we need to make some difficult decisions. Despite this, we have been able to secure funding for 2025/6 to support the detection of illegal imports at the short straits, alongside Border Force and we continue to work with Dover Port Health Authority on this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average award received through his Department's capital grant scheme was in (a) July, (b) August, (c) September, (d) October and (e) November.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 5,470 applications for the capital grant scheme between July and November 2024 with 1,884 Agreements offered during this period with an average value of £14,011. Across the summer, a much larger volume of applications, than expected, were received meaning more time was required to process. In light of these higher volumes, offers on new applications were not made to allow monitoring of the impact on the intended scheme outcomes and to investigate the implications of the increased value of some applications The monthly breakdown is as follows: JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberTotalApplications Received9639379781,4031,1895,470Agreements Offered*90496111621,882Average Value of Claims Paid**£12,952£13,323£14,006£14,420£15,094£14,011 * The application may have been received prior to July 2024.** This relates to all claims paid within July to November regardless of when the agreement started. Agreement holders have up to 3 years from start date to submit their claim.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for the capital grant scheme were approved by his Department in each month since July 2024.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 5,470 applications for the capital grant scheme between July and November 2024 with 1,884 Agreements offered during this period with an average value of £14,011. Across the summer, a much larger volume of applications, than expected, were received meaning more time was required to process. In light of these higher volumes, offers on new applications were not made to allow monitoring of the impact on the intended scheme outcomes and to investigate the implications of the increased value of some applications The monthly breakdown is as follows: JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberTotalApplications Received9639379781,4031,1895,470Agreements Offered*90496111621,882Average Value of Claims Paid**£12,952£13,323£14,006£14,420£15,094£14,011 * The application may have been received prior to July 2024.** This relates to all claims paid within July to November regardless of when the agreement started. Agreement holders have up to 3 years from start date to submit their claim.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for the capital grant scheme were received by his Department in each month since July 2024.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 5,470 applications for the capital grant scheme between July and November 2024 with 1,884 Agreements offered during this period with an average value of £14,011. Across the summer, a much larger volume of applications, than expected, were received meaning more time was required to process. In light of these higher volumes, offers on new applications were not made to allow monitoring of the impact on the intended scheme outcomes and to investigate the implications of the increased value of some applications The monthly breakdown is as follows: JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberTotalApplications Received9639379781,4031,1895,470Agreements Offered*90496111621,882Average Value of Claims Paid**£12,952£13,323£14,006£14,420£15,094£14,011 * The application may have been received prior to July 2024.** This relates to all claims paid within July to November regardless of when the agreement started. Agreement holders have up to 3 years from start date to submit their claim.