Written questions by Dillon.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to implement the Environmental Land Management scheme options.

Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector. We now have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, including over 36,00 farmers in an SFI agreement. We are continuing to progress with the launch of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, and the first farmers and land managers started the required pre-application process in January. Similarly, we are continuing to progress Landscape Recovery with the first projects moving into their implementation stages this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, when Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will be implemented.

The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place. We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increasing SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. We will review the planning system holistically and consider whether further changes are required to address SuDS when we consult on further planning reform, including national policy related to decision making, in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new GIS flood mapping on housebuilders' ability to secure affordable insurance for new homes.

Flood risk is an important consideration in the planning system. The Government has committed to ensure we are building more high-quality, well-designed and sustainable homes and creating places that increase climate resilience and promote nature recovery. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. Where development is necessary, and where there are no suitable sites available in areas with a lower risk of flooding, local planning authorities and developers should ensure development is appropriately flood resilient and resistant, safe for its users for the development’s lifetime, will not increase flood risk overall and will provide wider sustainability benefits. The Environment Agency maps show the risk of flooding to areas of land although cannot assess specific risk to individual properties. They do not show where has or has not flooded before. On the 25 March 2025, the Environment Agency intends to publish updated flood zone data on the ‘Flood map for planning’ which will support developers and planners to find the data they need to undertake flood risk assessments. Many insurance companies use their own flood risk maps and data, alongside a combination of risk information, to determine insurance premiums.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing penalties for water companies that discharge sewage into (a) watercourses and (b) coastal waters.

For too long, water companies have pumped record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will deliver on the Government’s commitment to put water companies under special measures. It will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. The Bill will provide the most significant increase in enforcement powers for the regulators in a decade, giving them the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies in the next investment period. This includes giving environmental regulators powers to impose penalties on the civil standard of proof, in addition to new automatic penalties. The regulators will also be able to recover costs for a much greater range of enforcement activities. In October 2024, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system, to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. In August 2024, Ofwat proposed that Thames, Yorkshire and Northumbrian Water be fined a total of £168 million for failing to manage their wastewater treatment works and networks. These proposed fines were subject to a public consultation and so are currently draft; Ofwat are reviewing responses before making their final decisions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made on Project Groundwater in Lambourn Valley.

Project Groundwater is funded by the £150 million Flood & Coastal Resilience Innovation programme, managed by the Environment Agency (EA). The programme includes 25 local projects around the country that are testing practical ways of bolstering resilience to flooding and coastal change. Project Groundwater has produced a new community-level, automated groundwater flood warning system, www.projectgroundwater.co.uk/floodwarning. This went live as a trial in the Lambourn Valley on 4 December and the EA are currently collating feedback for the next phase of improvements. The next key output will be new improved groundwater flood risk maps which are expected to be published in February. The project has also been gathering data via a Flood Experience Questionnaire, to target invitations for property flood resilience surveys in the new year, helping us to develop trials of community flood resilience measures. The project is also seeking to identify locations for nature-based solutions to help with groundwater flooding. Collectively all aspects of Project Groundwater will have longer term benefits to the Lambourn Valley. These include ensuring groundwater is robustly addressed in planning applications whilst better understanding the mental health impacts of groundwater flooding.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with Ofwat on the potential impact of the levels of Thames Water's (a) debt and (b) dividend payments on its customers.

Water companies are commercial entities, and it would be inappropriate to comment further on the specific situation of any individual company. We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. We have also been clear that the payment of dividends that do not take into account performance and service delivery for customers and the environment is disgraceful, and we share the public’s anger on this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to secure a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU to facilitate the movement of thoroughbred horses across borders.

The Prime Minister and President of the European Commission met on 7 November at the European Political Community in Budapest, where they discussed the strength of the UK-EU partnership and the need to work together to tackle the challenges facing Europe. The Government will now work with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit. The Government will seek to negotiate a veterinary/Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. The Government is ambitious and wants to move forward at pace, but delivering new agreements will take time. It is too early to provide an update on specific elements of any agreement at this point.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of designating thoroughbred horses as high health animals.

On 25 November 2024 we announced that physical checks at Border Control Posts for live animals imported from the European Union, including horses and other equines, and goods and live animals arriving at west coast ports from Ireland, will not begin in 2024, and we committed to a further update on timelines for these controls in summer 2025. During this period, we will work closely with stakeholders across all sectors on the planned implementation of further border controls, including the most appropriate way to assure the health of imported equines.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the cleanliness of rivers.

For too long, sewage and pollution have contributed to the uncleanliness of our rivers, lakes, and seas. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will deliver on the Government’s commitment to put water companies under special measures. It will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. The Secretary of State has also commissioned a full, independent review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good. Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies continue to work with farmers to tackle agricultural pollution through a suite of regulations, advice and incentives; this includes the rollout of Environmental Land Management schemes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to provide additional support to local authorities to prepare for flooding in winter 2024-25.

We set up the first ever Floods Resilience Taskforce on 12 September. The Taskforce sets out a new approach to preparing for flooding, and working cohesively between national, regional and local government, including the devolved administrations and flood risk partners. This Taskforce will ensure that the UK’s preparedness for, and resilience to, flooding is reviewed regularly and robustly. It will ensure we continuously improve to ensure optimum protection to people, homes and businesses. The Environment Agency has also completed briefing sessions with the Local Resilience Forum chairs group, providing an overview of winter preparedness activity and the likely scenarios for this winter.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to introduce digital equine identification.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification and traceability. Digital enhancements are unlikely in the near future, though Defra is considering other improvements in the meantime.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of planning developments on habitats for great crested newts; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing local authority district-level licenses for relocating newts.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Protected species are afforded legal protection in England due to their conservation status. A mitigation licence is required for developers to carry out various types of work that may affect a protected species or their habitat. Defra and Natural England recognise that schemes that take a national, strategic approach to such licensing rather than on a site-by-site basis can deliver improved outcomes for the environment and for planning developments. In 2017, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government funded Natural England to develop a strategic approach to licensing for great crested newts (GCN) to facilitate a quicker regulatory process, cost and time savings for developers, as well as better conservation outcomes. This resulted in Natural England's District Level Licensing (DLL) Scheme which, together with third party providers of comparable schemes licensed by Natural England, is now operational across 212 local planning authorities. DLL is underpinned by strategic assessments, which are undertaken to assess impacts on GCN and their habitat, and to target the creation of new habitat for colonisation. On-site mitigation licenses remain available. Having two routes to support great crested newts means that the most appropriate mitigation for newts can be applied in an area while also supporting development.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of replacing Ofwat with a clean water authority on sewage dumping.

The Government and regulators work together to drive improvements that benefit both customers and the environment and hold water companies to account where necessary through strong enforcement action. We have set clear expectations of the sector, including regulators, and will not hesitate to take further action if we do not see the necessary action. The measures that will be implemented through the Water (Special Measures) Bill are a down payment on the comprehensive reforms needed to restore our rivers, lakes, and seas to good health, meet the challenges of the future, and drive economic growth. The Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh government, has launched an Independent Commission into the water sector and its regulation. The latest step in the Government’s programme to transform how our water system works. The Commission will adopt a broad scope. That will include considering the role of the regulators, ensuring they are effective for holding companies accountable, as well as establishing clear outcomes and a long-term vision for the future. The Commission will report to the Secretary of State for Environment, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs with recommendations, in Q2 2025. The UK Government and Welsh Government will then respond and consult on proposals, including potential further legislation. The Government does not intend to issue a revised statement until after the outcomes of the independent commission.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce a ban on all live animal exports.

The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 came into force on 22 July 2024. The Act bans the export of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses for fattening or slaughter from Great Britain, stopping stress, exhaustion and injury caused by this unnecessary trade. It applies to journeys from, and transiting journeys through, Great Britain to destinations outside the UK, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. We are putting in place Regulations to ensure the ban is implemented effectively and enforced robustly. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Enforcement Regulations 2024 have been laid before Parliament. Exports for all purposes other than slaughter or fattening, such as for breeding, competitions and shows, or scientific research, continue to be permitted.