Written questions by Hudson.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many Equidae were recorded entering the UK via (a) Fishguard (b) Holyhead (c) Cairnryan (d) Birkenhead and (e) other ports in each year since 2023.

The table shows the number of equids imported into GB with the port of entry recorded as Birkenhead, Cairnryan, Fishguard, or Holyhead, and the number of equids imported into GB with the port of entry recorded as a port other than those specified. For the year 2023, there were 355 consignments where the third party did not record the number of equids on the notifications Arrival YearPort of EntryNumber of Equids2023Birkenhead-Cairnryan5Fishguard167Holyhead9,911Other Ports13,8372023 Total23,920 2024Birkenhead32Cairnryan74Fishguard869Holyhead12,944Other Ports13,9342024 Total27,853 2025Birkenhead94Cairnryan20Fishguard580Holyhead3,330Other Ports4,4572025 Total8,481 Grand Total60,254

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1141, how much funding has been approved for projects under the Water Restoration Fund in the latest funding round.

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April last year, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. The Water Restoration Fund funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects. Following a rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful and specific funding allocations per project will be shared in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1141, if his Department will maintain the Water Restoration Fund for this Parliament and beyond.

The water restoration fund is currently active. Defra is evaluating how water company fines and penalties can be reinvested in improvements to the water environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, columns 1136 and 1165, what proportion of the planned funding for the water system from the private sector had been secured by 23 April 2025.

The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. In their Final Determinations, Ofwat set expenditure allowances which fund companies to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements and deliver their performance commitments over the 2025-30 period.The £104 billion funding package is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to be the second largest private sector investment programme for this Parliament, which will contribute to the delivery of key elements of the Government’s Plan for Change and Mission Objectives. The £104 billion expenditure planned over the next 5 years comes from expenditure by the water companies, which are required to maintain, improve and build new infrastructure like pipes and treatment plants. Customers pay for the reasonable costs of these investments through their water bills but over a long period of time, not as the costs arise. As the money to meet these costs is collected over time, water companies need to raise the finance to pay for the investment upfront. This finance comes from investors in the form of debt and equity.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the projects funded by the Water Restoration Fund since 5 July 2024.

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April last year, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. The Water Restoration Fund funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects. Following a rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful and project publication procedures will be shared in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press notice by Ofwat entitled Ofwat approves £104bn upgrade to accelerate delivery of cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers, published 19 December 2024, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on its planned timetable for releasing additional funding for the water system.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ofwat on a range of issues, including ensuring companies properly carry out and finance their statutory functions. The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. In their Final Determinations, Ofwat set expenditure allowances which fund companies to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements and deliver their performance commitments over the 2025-30 period. The £104 billion funding package is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to be the second largest private sector investment programme for this Parliament, which will contribute to the delivery of key elements of the Government’s Plan for Change and Mission Objectives.

What steps he is taking to help tackle the sale of illegal nicotine pouches.

In Great Britain, nicotine pouches are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they are subject to general product safety requirements enforced by Trading Standards, including labelling with safety information and instructions for use.The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance the regulation of nicotine pouches by providing powers to restrict product packaging and flavours. Powers in the bill will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful.The Government is taking a range of action to tackle illegal nicotine pouches and protect young people from potential harms. The bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The bill also provides powers to develop a new registration system for all tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. This will help Trading Standards to enforce our rules on product requirements and support improving consumer safety.Alongside the bill, the Government has announced £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 to Trading Standards, to tackle illicit and underage sales, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding will be used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the (a) categorisation of nitrous oxide as a Class C drug and (b) the potential impacts this categorisation has on levels of use of nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide was controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in November 2023. At the same time the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 were amended to regulate its lawful use in healthcare, catering and other sectors. In the year to March 2024, the most recent year for which we have data, 0.9% of people aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales reported having used nitrous oxide in the last year, a decrease compared to the previous year (1.3%). Various factors underlie drug use and this decline cannot be attributed directly to the control implemented in 2023. The Government will continue to keep all drug legislation under review.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of regulations governing the sale of nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide was controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in November 2023. At the same time the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 were amended to regulate its lawful use in healthcare, catering and other sectors. In the year to March 2024, the most recent year for which we have data, 0.9% of people aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales reported having used nitrous oxide in the last year, a decrease compared to the previous year (1.3%). Various factors underlie drug use and this decline cannot be attributed directly to the control implemented in 2023. The Government will continue to keep all drug legislation under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's oral contribution in response to the question from the hon. Member for Epping Forest of 20 March 2025, Official Report, column 481, what progress his Department has made on investing £500,000 into mental health charities; and if he will list each recipient charity.

farming and agriculture. Since 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, which supports projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farming people in England. The fund was allocated through an open competition process to the following organisations: the Farming Community Network, You Are Not Alone (YANA), Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), and a consortium of organisations led by the Farmer Network which includes Field Nurse, Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS). The projects are all designed to offer tailored support to farmers and their families as well as prevent further cases of poor mental health by helping to build resilience within farming communities and deliver a range of essential services including the development of new online resources, provision of workshops, training events and networking opportunities, and one-to-one support. To date we have paid out £325,355, and we expect to pay out a further £174,999 in FY25/26. This is in line with the individual funding agreements. In the Autumn Budget, this Government committed to support the farming sector through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26). Spending on farming in future financial years, including for Mental Health, will be subject to decisions made as part of the Chancellor’s upcoming spending review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in response to the hon. Member for Epping Forest during the Oral Question on Flood-prone Communities: Cumbria of 20 March 2025, Official Report, column 481, whether the £500,000 for rural mental health is new funding.

farming and agriculture. Since 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, which supports projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farming people in England. The fund was allocated through an open competition process to the following organisations: the Farming Community Network, You Are Not Alone (YANA), Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), and a consortium of organisations led by the Farmer Network which includes Field Nurse, Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS). The projects are all designed to offer tailored support to farmers and their families as well as prevent further cases of poor mental health by helping to build resilience within farming communities and deliver a range of essential services including the development of new online resources, provision of workshops, training events and networking opportunities, and one-to-one support. To date we have paid out £325,355, and we expect to pay out a further £174,999 in FY25/26. This is in line with the individual funding agreements. In the Autumn Budget, this Government committed to support the farming sector through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26). Spending on farming in future financial years, including for Mental Health, will be subject to decisions made as part of the Chancellor’s upcoming spending review.

If the will increase funding for mental health services in rural areas.

Mental health is and will remain a priority for the National Health Service across the country, including for those in rural areas. This is backed by the Mental Health Investment Standard, which in 2025/26 will continue to ensure that mental health funding is ring-fenced to support the delivery of our commitments, including those outlined in NHS Planning Guidance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in Hungary.

In response to the outbreak of FMD in Germany, this Government took decisive and rapid action to protect the UK by suspending the commercial import of susceptible animals and certain untreated products of animal origin from Germany and restricting personal imports of animal products from across the EU. Following the outbreak in Hungary, these border control measures were immediately extended to cover imports of these products from Hungary and Slovakia (given the close proximity of the Hungarian FMD case to the Hungarian Slovakian border).

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to provide mental health support to farmers.

This Government is committed to supporting the mental health of those working in farming and agriculture. The Government continue to fund the Farmer Welfare Grant. This currently funds four charities to deliver projects which support mental health and build resilience in local farming communities. One consortium of charities, led by the Farmer Network, operates in Lancashire. Their ‘Keep Farming Stronger for Longer’ campaign is delivering workshops, training, events, networking, 1:1 advice and the provision of additional Field Nurse services in the region. Furthermore, the Government is paying out £60m through the Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by this unprecedented extreme wet weather. Finally, the Government announced in their 2024 manifesto 8,500 new mental health support workers. This will give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, reduce delays and provide faster treatment closer to people’s homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to continue to provide funding for biosecurity checks onsite at the Port of Dover.

Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the increase to employer National Insurance contributions on the defence industry.

As individual suppliers and contractors will manage the changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions differently, it would be extremely difficult for the Department to estimate the impact this will have on the defence industry.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Government-funded tree planting schemes are avoiding planting sycamore trees adjacent to, or near to, known equine grazing areas, in the context of the causative link between exposure to sycamore trees and seeds and (a) equine atypical myopathy and (b) hypoglycin A toxicity.

Defra seeks to ensure all Government-funded tree planting schemes plant the right trees in the right place. Trees, forests, and woodlands can bring different benefits to different individuals, communities, and sectors. All woodland creation proposals considered by the Forestry Commission are assessed according to the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS), which sets out the government’s approach to sustainable forestry. The UKFS is explicit on the importance of tree species selection ensuring a diverse composition which is site appropriate, with the potential to mitigate the risks posed by climate change, pests and diseases. In November 2024 a Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems was launched. Developed by Forest Research and the University of Reading, this is designed to inform farmers about the different tree species which could be used in agroforestry systems, and highlights potential risks associated with individual species. Landowners are encouraged to engage with neighbours and stakeholders when designing their woodland creation proposals, to discuss the proposal, including species selection. All woodland creation and most felling proposals are listed on the Forestry Commissions Consultation Public Register.

How his Department plans to (a) increase the number of scanners available for dementia diagnosis and (b) reduce diagnosis times for patients.

The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres (CDCs), and better use of technology.With 170 CDCs due to be up and running by the end of March 2025, CDCs can take on more of the growing diagnostic demand within elective care. We will also deliver additional CDC capacity in 2025/26 by expanding a number of existing CDCs and building up to five new ones.Alongside Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Gates Ventures and the People’s Postcode Lottery, the National Institute for Health Research is funding the Blood Biomarker Challenge which seeks to produce the clinical and economic data that could make the case for the use of a blood test in the NHS to support diagnosis of dementia.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NICE process on the wider societal cost of dementia when appraising new dementia treatments.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance independently and based on an assessment of the available evidence. In developing its recommendations, NICE considers all health-related costs and benefits for patients and caregivers, in line with its established methods and processes. NICE does not consider wider societal costs and benefits.Any changes to NICE methods to broaden its cost-benefit analysis and incorporate wider societal costs would be both methodologically and ethically challenging. Such changes could have unintended consequences, potentially leading to fewer treatments being recommended for populations that are older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve capacity in dementia diagnostics to facilitate access to new dementia treatments.

The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres (CDCs), and better use of technology. With 170 CDCs due to be up and running by the end of March 2025, CDCs can take on more of the growing diagnostic demand within elective care. We will also deliver additional CDC capacity in 2025/26 by expanding several existing CDCs and building up to five new ones.To prepare for the new generation of dementia treatments in development, NHS England is working closely with regulators to ensure that arrangements are in place to support the adoption of any new licensed and treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as soon as possible.Alongside Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Gates Ventures and the People’s Postcode Lottery, the National Institute for Health Research is funding the Blood Biomarker Challenge which seeks to produce the clinical and economic data that could make the case for the use of a blood test in the NHS to support diagnosis of dementia.