Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has conducted an impact assessment of the decision to accelerate reduction of direct payments to farming businesses.

The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, including £2.4 billion in 2025/26. Accelerating the phase out of Direct Payments will allow us to focus more of this funding on Environmental Land Management schemes, which will boost nature and sustainable food production. We publish regular statistics on farm income in England, including data earlier this year looking at how farm business income has changed since the start of the agricultural transition (Monitoring the agricultural transition period in England, 2022/23 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). This release will be updated in February 2025 with the 2024/24 data. On 14 November 2024, we published our Farm Business Income statistics (Farm business income - GOV.UK), which looked at how farm business income has changed in 2023/24, including the contribution of Direct Payments and agri-environment payments to farm incomes, including analysis by farm type. Data relating to farm businesses are regularly published. Agriculture in the UK 2023 was published in June 2024. Farming evidence packs have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance (Farming statistics evidence packs - GOV.UK). These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK, and the contribution of farm payments to farm incomes, including analysis by sector, location in England and type of land tenure. We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development.

What criteria her Department is using to assess the viability of the fifth phase of the Rail Resilience Programme for Dawlish.

Proposals for a fifth phase of the South West Rail Resilience Programme will be assessed against the criteria described in the document entitled ‘Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline - A New Approach for Rail Enhancements’ published in March 2018.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of Capital Grant Applications on (a) farm productivity and (b) food security.

We have allocated the largest ever budget for sustainable food production through the farming budget. In the first week of December, we paid £343 million into the rural economy, benefiting more than 31,000 farmers. After unprecedented demand, parts of the Capital Grant have been temporarily closed. Protection and Infrastructure grants, Woodland Tree Health grants, Capital Grants plans, Woodland Management Plan and Higher Tier Capital Grants all remain open. We are reviewing the offer to ensure funding goes further to improve outcomes for food security and nature conservation and will provide an update in early 2025.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief on farm business productivity.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2,000 estates will be affected by the changes to APR and BPR in 2026-27, with around half of those being claims that involve AIM shares. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) are expected to be unaffected by these reforms. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the timing of the funding for phase five of the Dawlish Rail Resilience Programme on the cost of phase four of that programme; and whether she plans to seek additional funding through the spending review for those costs.

Decisions in relation to a phase five of the South West Rail Resilience Programme do not impact the cost of phase four, for which all physical works have now been completed. Phase five is being considered as part of the Spending Review in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with the National Farmers' Union on their statistical information relating to changes to agricultural property relief.

We are listening to the sector to ensure their views are heard. Ministers and officials regularly meet with a range of farming stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA). We will continue to meet with stakeholders to ensure their views are heard.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of family farms on food security.

Defra does not collect any farming data based on whether farms are owned by a family. Estimates are produced based on the economic size of farms (based on Standard Outputs*). The latest estimates show that in England in 2022, a small number of economically ‘very high output farms’ produced over half (62%) the agricultural output using just 35% of the total farmed land area. Conversely, 45% of ‘very low output’ farms produced 2% of total output using 8% of the total farmed land area (Slide 8 athttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e7e0b33f1299ce5d5c3ed9/Farming_evidence_pack_16sept24.pdf) We understand the importance of all farms, including family farms to food security; in delivering environmental outcomes; and in supporting rural communities. That’s why our farming budget will be maintained at £2.4 billion in 2025/26. Most notably, £1.8 billion of this will be directed towards Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes—which are the key mechanisms supporting sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in the UK. * Standard Output measures the total value of output across all enterprises on a farm - per head for livestock and per hectare for crops. For crops this will be the main product (e.g. wheat, barley, peas) plus any by-product that is sold, for example straw. For livestock it will be the value of the main product (milk, eggs, lamb, pork) plus the value of any secondary product (wool) minus the cost of replacement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure timely payments from the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) began making payments to Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement holders at the start of the December 2024, along with those in Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier and Environmental Stewardship, with around £330 million paid to date. The RPA is working hard to complete processing on remaining claims and issue payments as promptly as possible. The new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme will open in 2025 and will move to quarterly payments to help with cashflow management

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17651 on Parking: Regulation, what options her Department is reviewing to drive up standards in the private parking industry.

As referenced in the answer to Question UIN 17651 on 11 December 2024, the Government is required by the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 to publish a code of practice concerning guidance on the management of private parking facilities.At this time the Government is not able to share any further details but hopes to announce its proposals for raising standards as soon as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the NFU mass lobby on 19 November 2024.

Farmers are the backbone of Britain, and we recognise the strength of feeling expressed by farming and rural communities in recent weeks. We are steadfast in our commitment to Britain’s farming industry because food security is national security. It's why we are investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years – the largest amount ever directed towards sustainable food production, rural economic growth and nature’s recovery in our country’s history. This enables us to keep momentum on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector, with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. But with public services crumbling and a £22 billion fiscal hole that this Government inherited, we have taken difficult decisions. The reforms to Agricultural Property Relief ensure that wealthier estates and the most valuable farms pay their fair share to invest in our schools and health services that farmers and families in rural communities rely on.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) UK-US trade relations and (b) the incoming US administration on the agricultural sector.

The US is the UK’s single largest trading partner (with over £300 billion in trade) and the UK’s third largest export market for agri-food products, with trade worth over £2.5 billion. UK-US trade and investment is a vital part of this Government’s plan to deliver economic growth. As the Prime Minister set out our relationship with the United States has been the cornerstone of our security and our prosperity for over a century. The UK looks forward to working with President-elect Trump in office, including on his policy priorities and improving UK-US trading relations to support businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.

If he will take steps to expedite compensation for nuclear test veterans.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard), on 27 November 2024 to Question 15649 to the hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts).

If he will ensure the Post Office withdraws the five-year Transformation Plan published on 13 November 2024..

While publicly owned, Post Office Limited is a commercial business that operates at arm’s length from Government. The Post Office's transformation plan aims to put the Post Office on a more stable financial footing for the future, including by reducing costs, and to increase Postmaster remuneration. The details of the transformation plan are being examined by my Department, and the plan is subject to Government funding. The Post Office will continue to deliver on the 11,500 minimum branch requirement and geographical access criteria set by Government thereby ensuring that essential services remain within local reach of all citizens. Longer term, Government has set out our plan to publish a Green Paper to consult with the public on the long-term future of the Post Office. This Green Paper will help inform what customers, communities and postmasters would like to see from a modern Post Office network.

If he will take steps to ensure post offices cannot be closed without seeking the views of local residents.

Post Office is committed to engaging and supporting its customers and their representatives when it makes changes to the Post Office network. When proposing any branch change in the network, Post Office invites comment on access. Feedback is reviewed before Post Office makes a decision on whether to proceed with the original proposal or if mitigations are needed to any address concerns raised.

If she will have discussions with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on the adequacy of the system for appointing a Chief Constable for Devon and Cornwall Police.

It is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to make decisions around appointing, suspending, and removing chief constables. The College of Policing updated the national Guidance for Appointing Chief Officers in February 2024 to ensure fair and appropriate processes are followed in the appointment of chief officers in England and Wales. The College also offer a range of services to help PCCs with the recruitment and appointment process including help to maximise the pool of potential candidates, support with delivering a process in line with the national guidance and to sit on the appointment panel as a senior police advisor.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing Police and Crime Commissioners with police panels.

Police and Crime Commissioners play a vital local role acting as the voice of the public and victims in policing, holding Chief Constables to account and leading local partnerships to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. The government will continue to work with PCCs and Chief Constables to set clear expectations for policing on performance and standards, ensuring that our communities have an effective and efficient police service within their force area. In her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), the Home Secretary announced her intention to present a White Paper to Parliament next year on reforms to deliver more effective and efficient policing, to rebuild public confidence and to deliver the Government’s Safer Streets mission. This reform programme will be a collaborative endeavor with policing. Proposals will also consider how the PCC role can be strengthened, including an enhanced role to prevent crime.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an independent parking regulator.

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.The Government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking industry and is currently reviewing all options on how to achieve this.

With reference to the written Statement of 5 November 2024 on Post Office Update, HCWS184, what work the external consultants have done; and what account the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Business and Trade took of that work in his statement of 13 November 2024 on Future of the Post Office, Official Report columns 806-807.

The Post Office faces a number of complex challenges. As set out on 13 November, Nigel Railton’s transformation plan aims to reduce Post Office’s central costs and deliver a real-terms increase in postmaster pay. As set out on 5 November, it is also important that Government has a clear vision for the future direction of the Post Office. The Department has appointed external consultants to develop options for the future remit, structure and ownership of the Post Office as well as to assess the options and recommendations made by Nigel Railton. Government plans to publish a Green Paper to seek views on a range of different proposals in the first half of 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide adequate (a) funding and (b) resources to carry out year round testing for designated bathing water areas in the Newton Abbot constituency.

On 12 November, we launched a public consultation on proposed reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. A core proposal of this consultation is to move the fixed dates of the bathing season from the Regulations into guidance. This would provide the flexibility to amend bathing season dates based on local context, and for the Environment Agency to monitor outside the current fixed dates of the Bathing Season. Following analysis of responses, the Government response to the consultation will set out the next steps of this work, including any amendments.

What steps he is taking to mitigate the impact of shortages of medicines for people with (a) epilepsy and (b) Parkinson's disease.

The Department is working hard with industry to help resolve intermittent supply issues with some epilepsy medications. As a result of ongoing activity and intensive work, including directing suppliers to expedite deliveries, some issues, including with some carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine presentations, have been resolved.There is a supply issue with all strengths of lamotrigine tablets, used to manage epilepsy, due to manufacturing issues. A supply issue with one of the strengths of lamotrigine tablets has recently resolved, and the remaining strengths are expected to resolve from early December 2024. Other manufacturers of lamotrigine tablets can meet the increased demand during this time.The Department is aware of supply constraints with one supplier of amantadine 100mg capsules used in the management of Parkinson’s Disease, however stocks remain available from alternative suppliers to cover this demand.The Department continues to work closely with industry, the NHS and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock.