Written questions by Brandreth.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of requiring exporters to claim PRNs only once material has reached its final destination on those exporters.

Recent regulatory changes seek to ensure that exporters provide and maintain accurate, verifiable data to help combat fraud within the system. This includes ensuring that packaging waste that leaves the UK for recycling reaches its intended destination before PERNs can be issued, helping to drive down fraud in the system. Changes in the regulations mean that PRN evidence can now only be issued once the material has been confirmed as received by the overseas recycling facility. Before this change evidence could be issued at the point of export. This will increase the accuracy of the data.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether staffing levels at the Environment Agency are adequate to manage the transition to the new PRN system.

The Environment Agency (EA) has increased staffing to ensure it can manage the transition to the new PRN system and deliver its regulatory duties under the new packaging regulations. Additional resource has been allocated to support both the new operational requirements and the bedding‑in of the updated IT system. The EA will continue to monitor resourcing levels closely and adjust as necessary to ensure a smooth transition for industry and effective regulatory oversight.

Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency arrangements have been put in place to allow PRN/PERN registration while the new system is unavailable.

The PRN/PERN market remains operational. Contracts, sales and payments for PRNs & PERNs remain outside the digital system and operators are able to enter into agreements to contract sales before the PRN/PERN digital functionality is in place. Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 a new requirement was introduced mandating all packaging waste recyclers to be registered from 2026. The Environment Agency and Defra created an interim application system which opened on 1 September 2025 enabling operators to submit Registration and Accreditation applications.  Accredited operators can engage with producers & compliance schemes directly to agree contractual terms for the supply of PRN/PERNs. We are making good progress on the delivery of capability for accredited operators to be able to record and issue PRN/PERNs in the digital service.

Whether full implementation of the McCloud judgement remedy will be completed by April 2027.

Capita, having assumed responsibility for the Civil Service Pension Scheme in December 2025, is currently preparing a delivery plan for the remaining 2015 Remedy work. The Cabinet Office expects the majority of the remaining Remediable Service Statements (RSS) will be issued by April 2027.

When she plans to publish a consultation on setting speed limits.

The update to Setting Local Speed Limits guidance is under development and will be informed by research and evidence. Considerations in relation to consulting will be set out in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the number of police community support officers in Cheshire on levels of crime in that area.

The Government’s Safer Streets Mission sets a clear expectation for policing to deliver safer communities and improved public confidence. An effective, well-supported police service is central to achieving this.Based on their £3,009,490 allocation from the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, Cheshire Police is projected to grow by 48 FTE neighbourhood police officers in 2025-26.It is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions, to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. This includes how best to allocate the resources at their disposal to provide an effective service to local communities.

What assessments she has made of trends in the levels of recruitment and retention in Cheshire Police; and how many officers have (a) left and (b) joined the force since July 2024.

Forces are expected to manage their recruitment and retention activities to ensure that they meet officer headcount targets linked to funding arrangements set out in the Police Funding Settlement.Data on joiners and leavers is published annually in July, including data for the previous year to 31 March. For the last full year that data is available (April 2024 to March 2025) Cheshire Police saw an increase in joiners of 17.1% (178 full time equivalents) alongside an increase in leavers of 4.5% (7 full time equivalents).

What steps he is taking to ensure that policing capacity is maintained in areas experiencing (a) increased community demand and (b) a reduction in policing numbers.

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively. As part of our mission to deliver safer streets, we will restore neighbourhood policing and support forces to rebuild relationships with their local communities.The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provided funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.This includes a total of up to £376.8 million specifically to support forces to achieve officer headcounts set out in the Police Funding Settlement and £200m to kick start the growth in neighbourhood policing personnel.It is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions, to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. This includes how best to allocate the resources at their disposal to provide an effective service to local communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of poultry and egg imports from Ukraine on the UK market following the extension of tariff free access in February 2024.

Under our Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine, tariffs on all goods are temporarily removed until March 2029, except for poultry and eggs, where the liberalisation is due to end on 31 March 2026. Ukrainian imports of poultry and eggs currently constitute a small proportion of the UK’s total imports of these products. We consistently consider the views of industry and impact of imports on the UK market from all countries, including from Ukraine. We will continue to take these views into account as part of our policy development process.

What steps he is taking to replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

I introduced the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill on 14 October – a significant step in fulfilling our commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act. The Bill received its Second Reading yesterday, and I look forward to continued debate and scrutiny as it progresses through Parliament.

Whether his Department plans to create a pathway for NHS (a) diagnosis and (b) care for (i) hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and (ii) hypermobility spectrum disorders.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.The 10-Year Health Plan for England will improve services for people with EDS and other long-term conditions by shifting care to the community with neighbourhood teams, expanding access to physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and using digital innovation to help patients self-manage and receive more integrated, personalised care. This approach aims to provide more proactive and accessible support by bringing services closer to home and making it easier for patients to access the help they need.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the financial resilience of Thames Water.

Our current assessment is that the company remains financially stable. The Government has stepped up our preparations and stands ready for all eventualities, including applying for a SAR if that were to become necessary. The Government will continue to work with the economic regulator of the water industry Ofwat to help support a market led solution to the company’s issues of financial resilience and operational delivery, which is in the interests of customers and the environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the UK-EU reset agreement, whether her Department has undertaken a cost benefit analysis in relation to its agreement to extend the fisheries arrangements.

The UK-EU Summit Deal announced on 19 May secures the continuation of current UK-EU fishing access arrangements. This means continued access for UK vessels to EU waters, worth £80m annually, and retention of the quota uplift the UK secured through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. That boost, worth £175m in fishing opportunities in 2025, remains fully in place under the new deal. We have also secured a new SPS Agreement, which could add up to £5.1bn a year to our economy in the long run. The latest fisheries access agreement should therefore not be viewed in isolation. The benefits to the fisheries sector arise not only from the access provisions themselves but also from the SPS Agreement, which will increase opportunities for UK seafood exporters. Taken together, these provisions support growth, stability, and new opportunities for the UK’s fishing industry. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has conducted analysis on the impact of various fishing arrangements to the UK, relative to the years 2021-2025.

Whether Emma Reynolds MP received any correspondence from the (a) Treasury and (b) the Cabinet office on the (i) timetable, (ii) options and (iii) modelling for inheritance tax changes since 1 July 2024.

HM Treasury Ministers routinely receive briefings and information on an extensive range of subjects relating to the department’s responsibilities and their specific portfolios. As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury’s portfolio of responsibilities includes inheritance tax. My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has not been the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. She was Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 July 2024 to 14 January 2025. She was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 14 January 2025 to 5 September 2025. HM Treasury Ministers also discuss a range of subjects with Ministers from all other departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Whether any (a) written briefings, (b) submissions, and (c) minutes on inheritance tax changes were (i) sent to and (ii) copied to Emma Reynolds MP since 1 July 2024.

HM Treasury Ministers routinely receive briefings and information on an extensive range of subjects relating to the department’s responsibilities and their specific portfolios. As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury’s portfolio of responsibilities includes inheritance tax. My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has not been the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. She was Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 July 2024 to 14 January 2025. She was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 14 January 2025 to 5 September 2025. HM Treasury Ministers also discuss a range of subjects with Ministers from all other departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Whether Emma Reynolds MP participated in any meetings with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs on the impact of inheritance tax changes on farmers since 1 July 2024.

HM Treasury Ministers take part in internal and external meetings routinely on a range of subjects relating to the department’s responsibilities and their specific portfolios. As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury’s portfolio of responsibilities includes inheritance tax. My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has not been the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. She was Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 July 2024 to 14 January 2025. She was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 14 January 2025 to 5 September 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent on asylum seekers in the UK.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 9 June to Question 56044.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent domestically.

I refer the Honourable Member to the figures here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-oda-spend-2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to overseas aid on Jordan.

Jordan is one of the UK's most trusted allies and important humanitarian partners in the region. The Minister for International Development made Jordan her first official visit overseas in her new role in March 2025, and discussed the future UK-Jordan official development assistance budget with her counterpart HE Zeina Toukan, Minister for Planning and International Cooperation during the inaugural UK-Jordan Development and Growth Dialogue in May. While reductions in the UK overseas aid budget for Jordan are consistent with the gradual reduction in the UK official development assistance (ODA) budget over the next few years, we will continue to support stability and self-sufficiency for Jordan and tackle drivers of migration through our development and broader work.

Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is available to farmers to support them in the transition away from the use of cages for livestock animals.

Defra remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant recently offered funding support to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England, to refurbish or replace existing housing to improve health and welfare, including those transitioning from colony cages to high welfare non-cage systems. Initial applications closed on 18 September 2024, and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which the department continues to consider very carefully.