Written questions by Khan.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to increase (a) urban tree cover and (b) green infrastructure to help reduce temperatures in built-up areas.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with water companies on ensuring continuity of water supplies during prolonged periods of extreme heat.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasingly frequent heatwaves on water security in England.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to help prevent traders from declaring that food and drink imports produced by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are Produce of Israel.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead.    All food sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with food labelling rules. The government continues to review existing legislation through post implementation reviews. Country of Origin labelling is compulsory for prepacked unprocessed beef, veal, lamb, mutton, pork, goat and poultry meat and most unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables. Where origin information is not required, it can still be provided as long as it does not mislead. We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. Food labelling rules are enforced by local authorities. Concerns that a specific food does not comply or is otherwise misleading, should be raised with a local trading standards officer who will be able to investigate and take necessary action.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to require traders and importers to label food produced in the West Bank to state whether it was produced by (a) Palestinian communities and (b) Israeli settlers.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead.    All food sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with food labelling rules. The government continues to review existing legislation through post implementation reviews. Country of Origin labelling is compulsory for prepacked unprocessed beef, veal, lamb, mutton, pork, goat and poultry meat and most unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables. Where origin information is not required, it can still be provided as long as it does not mislead. We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. Food labelling rules are enforced by local authorities. Concerns that a specific food does not comply or is otherwise misleading, should be raised with a local trading standards officer who will be able to investigate and take necessary action.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 10 December 2009 on Food Labelling (Occupied Palestinian Territories), column 28WS, whether his Department has reviewed the adequacy of its advice to retailers and importers on the labelling of food produced in the West Bank.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead.    All food sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with food labelling rules. The government continues to review existing legislation through post implementation reviews. Country of Origin labelling is compulsory for prepacked unprocessed beef, veal, lamb, mutton, pork, goat and poultry meat and most unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables. Where origin information is not required, it can still be provided as long as it does not mislead. We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. Food labelling rules are enforced by local authorities. Concerns that a specific food does not comply or is otherwise misleading, should be raised with a local trading standards officer who will be able to investigate and take necessary action.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce legislation to end retail sales of horticultural peat.

I refer the hon. Member to the response given to PQ 4272 on 12 September 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the environmental impact of grouse moor management.

There are no current plans to undertake an assessment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the decline of UK seabirds.

Ensuring nature’s recovery is a top priority for this Government. This is why the Government has announced a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including reversing the decline in...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure a (a) secure and (b) affordable water supply for households.

The Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water supply resilience. This involves action to reduce water company leaks and improve water efficiency, alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and wate...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing Thames Water into special administration.

The Government and Ofwat – the financial regulator for the water sector – are carefully monitoring the situation, and Ofwat continues to engage with Thames Water. The company remains stable, and it would be inappropriate to comment in detail on hypothetic...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help restore peatlands.

The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands. Currently, peatland restoration is funded via the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme. After 2026, peatland restoration will be primarily funded through Environmental Land Management sc...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps Government is taking to meet its 2030 nature recovery targets.

In England, we have committed to halting the decline in species abundance by 2030. The UK Government is also committed to protecting 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030, and to playing our part in achieving the global 30by30 target adopted at the UN Biod...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the state of nature in national parks.

The new Government is committed to making Protected Landscapes greener, wilder and more accessible. We are currently considering the best way to do this. To support this, Defra is working with the National Parks and National Landscapes to improve data on ...

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to make cuts to the agricultural budget.

As is typical, the farming budget beyond this year will be part of the Government’s spending review. This Government recognises that food security is national security. We said we would provide stability for farmers and we are delivering on this commitmen...

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of farming funding on the Government's ability to reach it's (a) nature recovery and (b) net zero targets.

The level of farming funding in future financial years will be confirmed as part of the Government’s spending review. We know farmers require stability in order for the Government to reach its nature recovery and net zero targets. We have already started ...

Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria his Department uses to assess whether a water company should lose its licence.

Ofwat, as the independent economic regulator, carries out its work in the manner it considers best meets its duties, including its duty to secure that water companies properly carry out their functions. Where companies have failed to meet statutory or lic...