Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Thursday 6 February 2025 · 9 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 8 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Friends of the Itchen Estuary group advocated for designated bathing water status for the River Itchen due to high E. coli and faecal matter levels.
  • Dover Port Health Authority warned of potential food security risks if funding for border food checks is not secured within seven weeks.
  • Local residents in Fleetwood reported health issues due to toxic stenches from the mismanaged Jameson Road site, prompting an ongoing investigation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Darren Paffey Lab Southampton Itchen
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

The River Itchen has high levels of E. coli and faecal matter, causing health concerns.

Question

Levels of E. coli and faecal matter in the River Itchen remain disgustingly high. I commend the Friends of the Itchen Estuary group for their work to highlight the issue. Like me, they want designated bathing water status in order to protect the river, so will the Secretary of State update us on when that application process will open again and on what changes we can expect?

Answer from Steve Reed (The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I pay tribute to the Friends of the Itchen Estuary for their advocacy on this important issue. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ran a consultation on reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, which closed on 23 December 2024. We are currently analysing the responses and considering how any proposed changes may impact the application and designation process, and we will of course respond fully in due course.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Considering This

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Q2 Victoria Atkins Con Louth and Horncastle
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

The Dover Port Health Authority warned that without funding, food security checks at the border could be halted.

Question

The head of the Dover Port Health Authority warned the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee this week that if funding is not secured with seven weeks, food security checks at the border will be stopped. That will mean unchecked and potentially dangerous meat appearing on supermarket shelves and in restaurants at a time when there is foot and mouth disease in Germany. When will the Secretary of State protect our borders and confirm that funding?

Answer from Steve Reed (The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The National Farmers Union and other interested parties have quite rightly raised concerns about the discovery of foot and mouth disease in Germany. We are relieved that there has not been a further spread of that outbreak, but we are taking all appropriate measures at the border to ensure that this country remains safe in terms of biosecurity, and we will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action to ensure that there can be no repeat of what happened around 20 years ago, when a foot and mouth outbreak in this country devastated farming and cost the economy a total of £14 billion.

Partly answered

How: Not Addressing The Funding Issue Directly

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Q3 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Environment
Context

Residents in Fleetwood have suffered from toxic stenches due to mismanagement of the Jameson Road landfill site.

Question

The people of Fleetwood, Thornton and beyond have suffered from toxic stenches for the past 12 months. Last night was extremely unpleasant, with residents reporting nosebleeds, breathing problems, headaches and vomiting this morning. The stench is due to the mismanagement of the local Jameson Road landfill site. Despite multiple interventions by the Environment Agency, including a six-week closure, the smell is now as bad as ever, if not worse. What can the Government do to ensure that the Environment Agency has much stronger powers to deal with landfill sites that bring daily misery to residents, such as those living in my constituency?

Answer from Mary Creagh (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

My heart goes out to my hon. Friend’s constituents, who are clearly suffering terrible public health consequences from the stink at that site. There is an ongoing investigation into the cause of odour issues that have impacted the community in Fleetwood, which escalated in January 2024. The Environment Agency has told me that it expects odour issues to reduce within the next seven days. Should that not occur, it will consider any and all appropriate regulatory interventions to reduce the impact on the community.

Partly answered

How: Ongoing Investigation, Pending Resolution

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Q4 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Environment
Context

The area around Heathrow has breached nitrogen dioxide legal limits for years.

Question

The area around Heathrow has breached nitrogen dioxide legal limits for years now, so what assessment has the Environment Secretary made of the impact on air quality of both the additional flights and the additional vehicles travelling to and from Heathrow as a result of a third runway?

Answer from Emma Hardy (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I thank the hon. Lady for her important question. The Government are developing a series of interventions to reduce emissions, so that everybody’s exposure to air pollution is reduced. We are also conducting a comprehensive review of how we communicate air quality information, to ensure that members of the public and vulnerable groups have the information they need to protect themselves and understand the impact on air quality.

Partly answered

How: Ongoing Interventions

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Q5 Harpreet Uppal Lab Huddersfield
Environment
Context

Communities in Huddersfield are dealing with persistent fly-tipping and littering issues.

Question

Too many communities, including in Huddersfield, are forced to deal with persistent fly-tipping and littering in their streets and neighbourhoods, and residents are understandably fed up with it. What support are the Government providing to local areas to ensure that they have the resources they need to prevent and tackle persistent fly-tipping?

Answer from Mary Creagh (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I visited a fly-tipping site in Lichfield where people have been trapped in their homes. Fly-tipping blights communities, harms wildlife and places huge costs on taxpayers and businesses. Councils dealt with over a million incidents in 2022-23, up 10% on three years ago. I do not believe that the waste carriers, brokers and dealers regime is fit for purpose, so I have asked officials to look at how we strengthen that regime to crack down on waste criminals.

Partly answered

How: Reviewing Current Regimes

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Q6 Nick Timothy Con West Suffolk
Brexit Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Thoroughbred horses are high-welfare animals and should be treated as such for cross-border travel.

Question

I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Thoroughbred horses are high-health, high-welfare animals, and they should be treated as such to allow cross-border travel without physical border checks. Can the Minister commit today to recognise their high-health status, put welfare first and reduce this barrier to trade?

Answer from Daniel Zeichner (The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs)

My near neighbour raises an important point—this is a very high-value sector. A commitment was made to designate thoroughbred horses as high-health animals as part of the border target operating model, and we will provide an update on the timeline for implementation by the end of the summer.

Partly answered

How: Timeline Provided

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Q7 Perran Moon Lab Camborne and Redruth
Environment
Context

Residents in Hayle are concerned about the environmental impact of sand dredging around Hayle harbour, which threatens both the local environment and the vital harbour infrastructure.

Question

Many of my constituents in Hayle have become increasingly concerned about the dredging of sand around Hayle harbour and the potential environmental damage. We desperately need a solution that works for residents and the environment and maintains our vitally important harbour. Will the Minister meet me as a matter of urgency to discuss how the Government and the Environment Agency will support all local stakeholders to establish a long-term sand management and erosion plan in Hayle?

Answer from Emma Hardy

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue and for the work he is doing in championing what is obviously a crucial issue for his residents. I would of course be happy to meet him.

Answered
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Q8 Lee Barron Lab Corby and East Northamptonshire
Environment
Context

A decade ago, planning permission was granted to build an incinerator on the outskirts of Corby. Due to subsequent development, this area now includes thousands of houses, a school, and a nursery.

Question

Over a decade ago, planning permission was given to build an incinerator on the outskirts of Corby. That location now has thousands of houses, a school and a nursery. Frankly, it is now in the heart of the community and no longer on the outskirts. Given that the incinerator is yet to be built, does the Minister agree with me that, in the light of the crackdown on waste incinerators, the planning application should be looked at again and the incinerator moved?

Answer from Mary Creagh

It is not appropriate for me to comment on a specific planning permission case, but I do encourage those developing energy-from-waste facilities, including those that already have permission, to consider the evidence that DEFRA published over the recess, the new standards that we have introduced and the Government’s circular economy opportunities when determining whether their facility is still required.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not directly address the specific planning application for Corby's incinerator but provided general advice on how developers should consider environmental impacts.

How: General Advice Given Instead Of Commenting On A Specific Case

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Q9 Jacob Collier Lab Burton and Uttoxeter
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Rural communities such as Marchington, Draycot, and Rolleston have been suffering from frequent flooding. Previously, funding was allocated based solely on the number of properties protected.

Question

Rural communities such as Marchington, Draycot and Rolleston have been suffering with flooding for many years, with funding often going to areas with larger populations. Can the Minister set out what steps she has taken to ensure that rural communities are not left out of flood protection funding?

Answer from Emma Hardy

I thank my hon. Friend, who is right to highlight how the previous flooding formula discriminated against rural communities because it was based purely on the number of properties protected, not on creating the right solution in the right area. That is exactly why we wish to reform the formula, and we will be announcing a consultation very shortly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific steps but indicated an upcoming consultation on reforming the flood protection funding formula.

How: Upcoming Consultation Mentioned Instead Of Concrete Measures

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