Written questions by Collins.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of excess sewage sludge on river pollution in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

Sewage sludge is a by-product of the wastewater treatment process which can be spread on fields as a fertiliser. Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) supported by the Sewage Sludge Code of Practice provide environmental and health protections from sludge spreading. The Government is continuing to work with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the water environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to review the current regulatory limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007; updated in August 2024, and a consolidated version was published in March 2025. In February 2025, the DWI published a report from the advisory group of drinking water quality recommending revisions to the drinking water regulations. One recommendation was to introduce DWI’s guideline value into legislation. Defra and the DWI will work together to consider this, and other, recommendations and will update our regulations where appropriate.The DWI monitors publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly to use a risk-based approach to monitor test results for both raw and treated water based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to establish a national chemicals regulator to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination.

Defra and the Scottish and Welsh Governments work closely with regulators and government agencies to prioritise issues for regulatory action in the UK relating to chemicals. We are working across government to help us assess levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform policy and regulatory approaches. The revised Environmental Improvement Plan, which will be introduced in 2025, will set out the Government’s approach to managing PFAS.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure that planned upgrades to Markyate Sewage Treatment Works go ahead, in the context of Thames Water’s financial position and (b) to prevent further sewage discharge into the River Ver.

We expect the company to meet their statutory and regulatory obligations. Thames Water’s current Asset Management Plan includes commitments to both maintain Markyate Wastewater Treatment Works and enhance its performance. Capital maintenance includes a Groundwater Impacted System Management Plan to reduce infiltration, together with a Wastewater Asset Assurance Programme to avoid pollution incidents and ensure permit compliance. Under the Water Industry National Environment Programme, Thames Water will deliver an improvement to reduce storm overflow spills at Markyate to an average of 10 spills. They must investigate whether the storm overflow at Markyate is having a local adverse ecological impact, which may drive the spill count of the delivered improvement below an average of 10 spills if it is identified as necessary.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that commercial properties have reached the minimum requirement of EPC Grade B by 2030.

The Government consulted on strengthening the non-domestic, which includes commercial properties, Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards to EPC C by 1 April 2027, and EPC B by 1 April 2030. We are currently reviewing the policy design, including the timelines for introduction, to ensure that it remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants. Until the response is published, and the Government position on any future standards confirmed, only the EPC E Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard applies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Ban Hatch and Dispatch campaign.

The legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals at the time of killing, including male chicks from the egg production sector. Permitted killing methods for chicks, such as gas stunning and maceration, are based on scientific research and assessment to ensure birds are spared any avoidable pain, distress, or suffering. All laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon gas mixtures as their stunning method. We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of technologies that allow chicks to be sexed in-ovo (within the egg). We welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to prohibit the routine culling of male chicks.

The legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals at the time of killing, including male chicks from the egg production sector. Permitted killing methods for chicks, such as gas stunning and maceration, are based on scientific research and assessment to ensure birds are spared any avoidable pain, distress, or suffering. All laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon gas mixtures as their stunning method. We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of technologies that allow chicks to be sexed in-ovo (within the egg). We welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle environmental harm in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) Hertfordshire.

The Environment Agency (EA) advises and regulates businesses across the energy, agriculture, and waste sectors; they are the environmental regulator for water companies; they prosecute and take action against those who pollute the environment and blight our communities; and they reduce and protect against flood risk and coastal erosion. They are a Category 1 Responder (with the emergency services) under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and have a duty to warn, inform, and respond to flood incidents and prevent environmental damage. They work with other local responders to co-ordinate their response and support recovery. For example, the EA advises on planning applications for all local planning authorities within their statutory remit, including St Albans and Dacorum district councils. This includes assessing flood risk and potential impacts to main rivers or controlled waters. They also have a role in working with Local Planning Authorities during the preparation of Local Plans to ensure flood risk, climate change, land contamination, and the water environment are appropriately included in their evidence base and policies. In addition, they partner with the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, local authorities, and local police departments, such as Hertfordshire Constabulary, to tackle environmental waste crime. They follow a triage style approach to enforcement, ensuring it is intelligence led and target their efforts based on threat, risk, and harm.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to help consolidate agricultural advice services; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on the (a) consistency and (b) coordination of guidance provided to farmers on climate change.

We are working across Defra to continue to improve the advice services on offer to farmers, building on existing broad services such as the Farming Advice Service and Catchment Sensitive Farming. We will aim to create greater alignment across services. We also continue to work with the commercial advice sector, who are often best placed to ensure that farmers get the information they need to make decisions that support their business and help achieve their aims.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing in-ovo sexing technologies within UK hatcheries.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In its 2024 ‘Opinion on alternatives to culling newly hatched chicks in the egg and poultry industries’, the Animal Welfare Committee considered a range of technologies that could help end the routine culling of male chicks by identifying or determining the sex of chick embryos before hatching. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of these technologies, and we welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted to the Environment Agency on Markyate Sewage Works of 28 March 2025.

A reply to the hon. Member is being prepared by the Environment Agency and will be issued as soon as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Climate and Nature Bill.

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. There is already a well-developed legislative framework that supports our actions in the areas of climate and nature including the Climate Change Act and the Environment Act. In accordance with parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when its Second Reading debate is scheduled to resume.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will extend agroforestry funding to (a) include multiple species and (b) increase tree planting density to help provide an appropriate habitat for (i) pigs and (ii) chickens.

Our in-field agroforestry offers under the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes allow flexibility for land managers to decide on tree species and densities that suit their objectives, to realise the multiple benefits that trees provide in the farming landscape. Land managers are able to establish and maintain a wide range of eligible woodland and fruit tree species, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eligible-tree-species-elm-agroforestry-action. Land managers can also be paid a species diversity bonus for planting 5 or more species of tree, to help improve the resilience of agroforestry systems. Our ELM in-field agroforestry offers allow for a range of planting densities. Under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, land managers can establish and maintain in-field agroforestry systems with an average of 30-130 trees per hectare on low sensitivity land. Our Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offers will pay land managers to maintain in-field agroforestry systems up to an average of 400 trees her hectare.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the fees charged by veterinary practices for issuing Animal Health Certificates.

All fees set by veterinary surgeons or veterinary practices are a private matter between individual practices and their clients. Neither the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the UK regulator of the veterinary profession, nor Defra intervene in the level of fees that are charged.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to adapt farming subsidy schemes to incentivise the (a) housing of all farmed animals in woodland and (b) planting of woodland in permanent pasture; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (i) animal welfare, (ii) climate and (iii) biodiversity.

Businesses must notify the competent authorities in advance of a consignment arriving in GB when it contains High risk or Medium A risk plants and plant products as they are subject to phytosanitary controls. Upon completion of the notification an initial risk assessment is provided detailing whether an inspection is required. Drivers and notifiers are informed in one of two ways. If the transporter uses the Goods Movement Vehicle Service (GVMS), drivers should use the ‘check if you need to report an inspection’ service, to find out what they need to do. Drivers should check this service again before they reach the point of entry.If the transporter does not use GMVS, Imports of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) will provide an initial risk assessment telling the importer/agent if their consignment needs SPS checks when they submit their import notification. If the consignment does need checks, the importer/agent will also receive a text and email message 2 hours before the transporter’s estimated time of arrival in GB. The message will confirm what the transporter needs to do. They can also check their IPAFFS dashboard.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure wastewater capacity assessments by (a) Thames water and (b) other water companies account for local environmental pressures.

As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. The Government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. Water and wastewater capacity issues are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications. Taking a strategic approach to drainage and wastewater management, will help to identify and mitigate issues related to insufficient network capacity or damaged infrastructure. A key planning function is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies. The Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage and wastewater system both now and for future demand. Water companies in England are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans (WRMPs), and drainage and wastewater management plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, accounting for factors including growing population and changing environmental circumstances. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues. The plans will bring together various stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) Thames Water and (b) other water companies provide (i) accurate and (ii) locally verified assessments of (A) wastewater and (B) drainage capacity for major planning applications.

As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. The Government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. Water and wastewater capacity issues are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications. Taking a strategic approach to drainage and wastewater management, will help to identify and mitigate issues related to insufficient network capacity or damaged infrastructure. A key planning function is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies. The Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage and wastewater system both now and for future demand. Water companies in England are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans (WRMPs), and drainage and wastewater management plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, accounting for factors including growing population and changing environmental circumstances. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues. The plans will bring together various stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the use of nature-based solutions to climate change.

Defra recognises the critical benefits nature-based solutions can provide for tackling climate change and averting its impacts – delivering multiple benefits for climate, biodiversity, and people. Nature’s recovery is one of the five top priorities for this Department. We are taking active steps to achieve Net Zero and mitigate climate change by expanding nature-based solutions in England, driving forward our commitments to restore 280,000 hectares of peatland and increase tree canopy cover to 16.5% of land area, both by 2050. This Government remains firmly committed to the environmental land management (ELM) schemes that deliver these solutions and will continue supporting farmers and landowners in their low-carbon practices. Defra has secured a farm support budget of £2.4 billion for the next financial year. This means we can maintain the momentum of our ELM schemes, which will rise to the highest funding levels ever by 2025/26. Through this investment, we’re helping to secure a healthy and resilient future for English farming and restore our natural landscapes for generations to come whilst continuing to support farmers and landowners in their low-carbon, nature friendly practices.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers affected by flooding.

Defra’s Farming Recovery Fund (FRF) scheme has paid out over £59.1 million to over 12,500 farm businesses affected by flooding and extreme wet weather during the period October 2023 to March 2024. On 31st March 2025 the government announced an additional £16 million boost to the internal drainage board (IDB) Fund to support greater flood resilience for farmers and rural communities. The Fund has increased from £75 million to £91 million to provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade IDB assets. More than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land and around 91,000 homes and businesses across England are expected to benefit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve testing methods, (b) strengthen labelling regulations and (c) help tackle honey adulteration in other ways.

Defra carries out scientific research in partnership with the Food Standards Agency to help improve testing methods help address honey adulteration. The Honey (England) Regulations 2015 lay down detailed specifications which honey must comply with regarding its composition and quality criteria. They mandate that honey cannot be sold in England unless the country of origin where the honey has been harvested is indicated on the label. However, for reasons of practicality special provisions apply to ‘blended’ honeys, where honey producers can opt for alternative wording indicating that the honey is a blend from more than one country. Defra works closely with enforcement authorities, responsible for enforcing our honey laws on investigating any potential fraud issues raised, to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards and maintains a level playing field between honey producers.