Written questions by McMurdock.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, published on 14 April 2026, what metrics her Department will use to measure the impact of the programme on farm productivity and sustainability.

The Investor Partnerships initiative is part of the Farming Innovation Programme. An interim evaluation, published in 2025, shows that the programme is on the right track to deliver long term improvements to productivity and the environment, and Defra continues to monitor the effectiveness of the funding. The Farming Innovation Programme aims to benefit English farmers and growers. Therefore, farmers based in Essex are in scope. Funding opportunities are promoted through multiple channels, including Press Notices, The Farming Innovation Programme website and Defra’s Farming Blog. The Modern Industrial Strategy, published last year, committed to spend at least £200 million through the Farming Innovation Programme by 2030. As part of this, at the NFU conference in February the Government announced £70 million to support investment in agri-tech research and development from 2026, including £30 million for the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, published on 14 April 2026, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that farmers in Essex are able to participate in the Farming Innovation Programme.

The Investor Partnerships initiative is part of the Farming Innovation Programme. An interim evaluation, published in 2025, shows that the programme is on the right track to deliver long term improvements to productivity and the environment, and Defra continues to monitor the effectiveness of the funding. The Farming Innovation Programme aims to benefit English farmers and growers. Therefore, farmers based in Essex are in scope. Funding opportunities are promoted through multiple channels, including Press Notices, The Farming Innovation Programme website and Defra’s Farming Blog. The Modern Industrial Strategy, published last year, committed to spend at least £200 million through the Farming Innovation Programme by 2030. As part of this, at the NFU conference in February the Government announced £70 million to support investment in agri-tech research and development from 2026, including £30 million for the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of dogs with Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce (a) new regulations and (b) primary legislation on brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered introducing restrictions on the use of brachycephalic animals in advertising, film, television and social media promotions.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social media and advertising on demand for brachycephalic breeds.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of animal welfare regulations in protecting brachycephalic dog breeds.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the ownership of brachycephalic animals over the last five years.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the incidence of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome in domestically-bred dogs.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Advertising Standards Authority on the portrayal of brachycephalic animals in advertising.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of brachycephalic breeding practices on the welfare of those animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK, including (a) dogs, (b) cats, and (c) rabbits.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with campaign groups and animal welfare organisations on the breeding of animals with brachycephaly.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the collection of data on the locations of fly-tipping incidents.

Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents, including fly-tipping incidents by land type to Defra, which are published annually here. Defra has published guidance for local authorities to support them to improve the quality of their data collection and reporting. This can be found here. The Environment Agency investigates fly tipping where the waste is more than 20 tonnes, a specified amount of hazardous waste, or is suspected to be linked to organised crime.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure the safe disposal of electric vehicle batteries at the end of their life.

Electric vehicle (EV) batteries are classed as industrial batteries under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, which requires producers of industrial batteries to offer free take back upon request from end users. The Office of Product Safety and Standards is the regulator for waste industrial batteries and investigates reported instances of failure by producers to take back end of life EV batteries. The Government is committed to effective end-of-life management for batteries and is engaging with industry and other stakeholders to inform a review of the UK batteries regulations, including obligations on producer responsibility for end-of-life EV batteries.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Clearer rules to support councils in fight against litter louts, published on 3 March 2026, what additional funding and resources her Department has provided to local authorities to support enforcement of littering offences.

To support local councils to make good use of their fixed penalty powers for littering the Government has laid new Statutory Guidance, “Litter enforcement powers: when and how to use them” in Parliament. Local councils will need to have regard to this guidance when using their powers. This guidance is available at: Litter enforcement powers: when and how to use them - GOV.UK The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be issuing a small grant payment to local authorities in England to support them to familiarise themselves with the Litter Enforcement Guidance.The Government has also laid the ‘Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse statutory guidance in Parliament which outlines the standards expected of local authorities and other duty bodies (e.g. National Highways) with regards to their duty to keep their land clear of litter and refuse. This guidance can be found on: Code of practice on litter and refuse - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Clearer rules to support councils in fight against litter louts, published on 3 March 2026, what estimate she has made of the number of fixed penalty notices expected to be issued annually under the revised litter enforcement guidance.

The Government has not made an assessment on the number of fixed penalty notices expected to be issued annually under the revised litter enforcement guidance.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Clearer rules to support councils in fight against litter louts, published on 3 March 2026, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of increasing the maximum on-the-spot fine for littering to £500 in deterring littering offences.

Local councils already have legal powers to issue a fixed penalty (on-the-spot fine) of up to £500 for littering offences.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Clearer rules to support councils in fight against litter louts, published on 3 March 2026, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the use of private enforcement companies in relation to littering offences.

The ‘Litter enforcement powers – when and how to use them’ states that in no circumstances should enforcement be considered a means to raise revenue. In addition, it is crucial that councils are transparent about why a fixed penalty has been issued and they must be satisfied that the fixed penalty notice in question is appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances. Any perception that enforcement activity is being used intentionally to generate income is likely to undermine the legitimacy of the enforcement regime in the eyes of the local community, which may diminish the deterrent effect.