Written questions by Chowns.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, whether his Department is (a) committed to achieve good ecological status for water bodies in England by 2027 and (b) on track to meet the 2027 objectives.

The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 transposed the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) into law in England and Wales and were retained in UK law after EU exit. In the Government’s response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive Regulations, this Government agreed that not enough progress has been made in meeting the Framework’s objective for water quality, to restore water bodies to good ecological status or good ecological potential. This is due to a failure by the previous Government to drive sufficient investment and action over the last 15 years since the first River Basin Management Plans were published. The Secretary of State has made cleaning up the water environment a priority for Defra and made clear that increased action and investment, and more effective management of the water system as a whole is required.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the implementation of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to assess its effectiveness at tackling pollution from contaminated land.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the Environmental Protection Act 1990 continues to be a robust and effective legislative framework for managing and mitigating pollution from contaminated land. The department is always assessing the effectiveness of legislation to ensure it is fit for purpose. Defra has recently commissioned the Environment Agency to produce a new State of Contaminated Land Report, which involves surveying Local Authorities progress on delivering their statutory responsibilities under Part2A of the Act, including the effectiveness of existing regulations and their remediation efforts.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to recommendation 13 in the Fifth Special Report of the Environmental Audit Committee of Session 2023-24 entitled The UK’s contribution to tackling global deforestation: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report, HC 669, what steps he has taken to ensure that the statutory evaluation of the Schedule 17 due diligence system addresses whether the due diligence system has effectively supported the human rights of indigenous peoples to land, territories and resources.

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to bring the statutory guidance entitled Applying the farming rules for water, updated 16 June 2022, on the application of manure, in line with The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018.

We have heard concerns regarding the statutory guidance, issued under the previous Government, on the Farming Rules for Water. In response, the Secretary of State have instructed officials to conduct a review to ensure that it is fit for purpose and effective in its objectives. We are currently assessing the findings of this review. We will share the outcomes as soon as practicable.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to include ice age ponds in the list of Irreplaceable Habitats for biodiversity net gain.

Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England’s most ecologically valuable terrestrial and intertidal habitats. The list of irreplaceable habitats in the biodiversity net gain regulations broadly mirrors the non-exhaustive list of examples of irreplaceable habitat in the National Planning Policy Framework. Defra will provide an update on irreplaceable habitat in due course. In the meantime, we are gathering evidence to inform whether an updated list would offer welcome additional protection to these important habitats, whilst aligning with wider Government objectives for house building and growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish his Department's consultation on a broader definition of irreplaceable habitat.

Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England’s most ecologically valuable terrestrial and intertidal habitats. The list of irreplaceable habitats in the biodiversity net gain regulations broadly mirrors the non-exhaustive list of examples of irreplaceable habitat in the National Planning Policy Framework. Defra will provide an update on irreplaceable habitat in due course. In the meantime, we are gathering evidence to inform whether an updated list would offer welcome additional protection to these important habitats, whilst aligning with wider Government objectives for house building and growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including priority grassland habitats in the list of Irreplaceable Habitats for biodiversity net gain.

Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England’s most ecologically valuable terrestrial and intertidal habitats. The list of irreplaceable habitats in the biodiversity net gain regulations broadly mirrors the non-exhaustive list of examples of irreplaceable habitat in the National Planning Policy Framework. Defra will provide an update on irreplaceable habitat in due course. In the meantime, we are gathering evidence to inform whether an updated list would offer welcome additional protection to these important habitats, whilst aligning with wider Government objectives for house building and growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the issuing of licenses to export endangered European eels.

The international trade in eels is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Because the European eel is critically endangered, any international movements are subject to rigorous scrutiny, including through assessments of legal acquisition and non-detriment. The UK’s approach to international trade of any endangered species is kept under constant review to ensure legality, sustainability, and alignment with global conservation efforts.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether data collected through his Department’s farm practices survey informs the assessment of progress on meeting legally binding targets set out in the Environment Act 2021.

Reporting against statutory targets is being developed primarily through data on activities that farmers have volunteered to do as part of schemes. Defra uses survey data, including the results from the farm practices survey, to build assumptions and understand more about land that has not been entered into schemes.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish regulations to implement Schedule 17 of the Environment Act 2021 to introduce a due diligence scheme for products of illegal deforestation.

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation, and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question 4844 on Land Use, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of establishing a national land use authority to work on a cross-departmental basis on the proposed land use framework for the purpose of integrating government priorities on (a) housing, (b) energy infrastructure, (c) farming, (d) community ownership and (e) other related matters.

The Government will publish a consultation on land use to inform the publication of a Land Use Framework for England. The land use framework will support farmers and nature recovery, based on an evidence base and spatial analysis. We will set out our approach to governance in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the report by the Soil Association entitled Stop Killing our Rivers, published on 12 March 2024.

The levels of water pollution are unacceptable. Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a priority for the Government. Working with farmers to reduce agricultural pollution is key to delivering against this priority. We continue to work with farmers through a suite of proportionate and effective regulations, advice and incentives to deliver improvements.