Written questions by Goldsborough.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of (a) dangerous and (b) otherwise illegal meat have been intercepted by the Dover Port Health Authority in each of the last 10 financial years.

Please see the table below for total seizures of illegal meat year on year. The figures quoted are seizures from all ports who had returned seizure data to us from September 2022 onwards as part of Defra African Swine Fever programme. This does not reflect all illegal meat seizures. We are unable to provide further levels of detail as we do not release details of the location of seizure; this information could risk undermining border security, by providing intelligence in our resource deployment and targeting Total seizures for full year on year are as follows: 2022 (Sept-Dec)3745kg202344,482kg202492,270kg

Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents of flooding have been reported in (a) South Norfolk constituency and (b) Norfolk in the last five years.

Lead Local Flood Authorities undertake formal investigations after significant floods and produce Section 19 reports, which include the number of properties affected. Not all floods require a Section 19 investigation. Criteria for investigation include the number of properties internally flooded, nature of flooding, frequency of flooding, and critical infrastructure affected. Over the last five years, Norfolk County Council recorded over 900 reports of flooding to properties, 139 of those in the South Norfolk Constituency. In this period, the most significant flooding event in this Constituency occurred on 23 and 24 December 2020 with 83 properties flooded.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Sustainable Farming Incentive payments were made (a) within and (b) after four months.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has a rolling application window with the first payment normally issued four months after the start of the agreement and quarterly thereafter. As of 21 November 26,329, payments have been made within fourth months and 371...

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 13929 on Water Abstraction: Licensing, what the regional breakdown of these water abstraction licences was in each of the last 10

The number of water abstraction licences (temporary, full and transfer) live for all or part of the financial year for each of the last ten financial years is shown in the tables below. This data is shown by former Environment Agency (EA) regions. This ha...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the horticulture sector.

The Government appreciates and values the vital work of the horticulture industry and, as part of our mission-driven government, we are committed to working with colleagues across Whitehall to support the sector. Underlining this commitment, the Seasonal ...

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Water Abstraction Licenses were not renewed in each of the last 10 financial years.

Financial YearNumber of water abstraction licences that were not renewed because no renewal application was received, the application was withdrawn or rejected as incompleteNumber of water abstraction licences that were not renewed because the application...

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Water Abstraction Licenses were operational in each of the last 10 financial years.

The table below shows the number of water abstraction licences (temporary, full and transfer) live for all or part of the financial year for each of the last ten financial years. Financial yearNo. of water abstraction licences1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015...

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Water Abstraction License applications were (a) made and (b) granted in each of the last 10 financial years.

a) Applications for new full licences, normal variations and substantial variations: 2015-20162016-20172017-20182018-20192019-20202020-20212021-20222022-20232023-20242024-2025TotalTotal20632031168212604254832432652194475 b) Of those applications, granted...

Food and Rural Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what value of water resource management grants were (i) granted and (ii) rejected by the Rural Payments Agency in each of the last 10 financial years.

The following table lists the answer: Qty RejectedValue RejectedQty GrantedValue Granted2017/180£ -2£215,974.422018/1911£1,708,260.72121£8,912,028.962019/2014£20,762.30179£ 311,127.362020/215£5,374.00201£ 203,902.002021/220£ -0£ -2022/23103£3,287,841.9638...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government's proposed planning reforms on food security.

This Government places great importance on our agricultural land and food production. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out how the best and most versatile agricultural land should be reflected in planning policies and decisions. The Framework i...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government’s intended planning reforms on Controlled Environment Agriculture.

The Government is committed to a prosperous horticulture sector. Unlocking innovation is integral to enabling our growers to improve productivity sustainably, and to contribute to our food security. We are working with the industry to stimulate this, incl...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a new national accreditation for sustainable Controlled Environment Agriculture food production.

The Government is committed to a prosperous horticulture sector. Unlocking innovation is integral to enabling our growers to improve productivity sustainably, and to contribute to our food security. We are working with the industry to stimulate this, incl...

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will work with the relevant control bodies to enable vertical farms to apply for organic accreditation.

Organic production is internationally recognised as a soil-based system, that is strictly regulated by assimilated organic Regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008. Vertical farming relies on hydroponic production, the method of growing plants with their roots i...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting Controlled Environment Facilities from Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

Following consultation in 2022, exemptions to the biodiversity net gain requirement set out within the regulations are narrow and focussed. This keeps the policy ambitious, whilst being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local authorities. M...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the impact of Biodiversity Net Gain regulations on Controlled Environment Agriculture.

Following consultation in 2022, exemptions to the biodiversity net gain requirement set out within the regulations are narrow and focussed. This keeps the policy ambitious, whilst being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local authorities. M...

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to help foster responsible access to the countryside.

The Government remains committed to increasing responsible access to the countryside and is currently considering how best to deliver enhanced access and what changes are needed to develop policy.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to introduce exemptions for protected horticultural growers within the biodiversity net gain regulations.

The Government recognises the importance of horticultural growers. Land used for horticulture can be enhanced or created to generate biodiversity units, which can support site expansion or be sold on the private market or used to support on site expansion. Equally, any impacts to horticultural land through development or land use change require compensation. Following consultation, exemptions to the BNG requirement set out within the regulations are narrow and focussed. This keeps the policy ambitious, whilst being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local authorities. The exemptions are not sector specific. Defra are ready to work with the horticulture industry to promote best practice for maximising on-site BNG opportunities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the preparedness of local planning authorities to meet their obligations under the biodiversity net gain regulations.

Ministers and officials from Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have regular discussions on a range of issues. Officials from both departments continue to work very closely together on biodiversity net gain (BNG) implementation to ensure local planning authorities have the guidance and tools in place to deliver BNG. Defra has committed £35 million since financial year 2021/2022 to enable Local Planning Authorities to prepare for and implement BNG. On top of this, Defra has funded the Planning Advisory Service to support Local Planning Authorities to prepare for and deliver BNG. Defra and MHCLG will continue to monitor the roll out of BNG.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of biodiversity net gain regulations on local planning authorities.

Ministers and officials from Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have regular discussions on a range of issues. Officials from both departments continue to work very closely together on biodiversity net gain (BNG) implementation to ensure local planning authorities have the guidance and tools in place to deliver BNG. Defra has committed £35 million since financial year 2021/2022 to enable Local Planning Authorities to prepare for and implement BNG. On top of this, Defra has funded the Planning Advisory Service to support Local Planning Authorities to prepare for and deliver BNG. Defra and MHCLG will continue to monitor the roll out of BNG.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has undertaken a review of the accessibility of the Fruit and Vegetable aid scheme.

The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legislation is in place which will close it on the 31st of December 2025. The Government has committed to championing British farming, whilst protecting the environment, and is currently considering the best way to support our farming sectors in the future, including horticulture.