Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Thursday 5 February 2026 · 10 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 6 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Patrick Hurley (Southport) asked the Minister about discussions with United Utilities to reduce sewage discharges affecting Southport and the wider north-west coast.
  • Victoria Atkins (Louth and Horncastle) asked the Secretary of State about the impact of the EU reset deal on the farming budget and UK fishing industry.
  • Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) asked the Minister to meet to discuss preventing the UK from becoming a dumping ground for illegal seafood linked to crimes.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Patrick Hurley Lab Southport
Energy Environment
Context

Southport is a seaside resort where sewage discharges are impacting the local environment.

Question

As you will know, Mr Speaker, Southport is a lovely seaside resort and one of the nicest places to visit in the whole of the country, so what recent discussions has the Minister had with United Utilities about reducing sewage discharges, which affect Southport and the wider north-west coast?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds)

The Water Minister and I are working closely with water companies across the country, including United Utilities, to drive them to reform their operations and clean up rivers, lakes and seas. Our water White Paper will replace the one-size-fits-all approach with dedicated supervisory teams at every company. UU is investing £50 million to upgrade Southport’s waste water treatment by 2029 to reduce storm overflow spills and improve coastal water quality.

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

The EU reset deal is expected to cut farming budgets significantly, raise food prices and decrease production.

Question

The EU reset deal is predicted to slash around a third of the Government’s farming budget from farm profits in its first year, cause higher food prices and lower food production, and sink the UK fishing industry. As the Prime Minister’s authority seeps away, will the Secretary of State insist that this shoddy deal is renegotiated while she is still in post?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds)

Nice try! We are still negotiating the deal, and the whole purpose of it is to bring down trade barriers that the right hon. Lady’s Government put up during their botched Brexit negotiations.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact renegotiation request was not addressed with specifics.

How: Nice Try!

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Q3 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Over 40 MPs and peers signed a letter raising concerns about the import of illegal seafood.

Question

Today a letter is on its way to the Secretary of State. It is signed by over 40 MPs and peers, and highlights the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency’s “Criminal catches” report. Will the Minister agree to meet us to discuss how we can stop the UK becoming a dumping ground for illegal seafood linked to criminality, environmental destruction and human exploitation?

Answer from The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Dame Angela Eagle)

Once my hon. Friend gets the letter off to us, she will certainly get a reply. The UK has a robust regulatory framework to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. DEFRA and the Marine Management Organisation work closely with the devolved Governments, local authorities and port health authorities to ensure that documents are appropriately checked and verified on seafood imports from all countries.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific meeting request was not confirmed.

How: Once My Hon. Friend Gets The Letter Off To Us, She Will Certainly Get A Reply.

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Q4 Iqbal Mohamed Ind Dewsbury and Batley
Climate Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

There is concern over the impact of methane-reducing feed additives used in livestock farming, such as Bovaer.

Question

What steps is DEFRA taking to raise public awareness of the impact of methane-reducing feed additives used in livestock farming, such as Bovaer? What steps is DEFRA taking to ensure that all chemicals and additives are tested and proven to be safe for humans, animals and nature before being approved for use in agriculture and food?

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

We have a system. Methane-reducing food products, including seaweed, oils and synthetic products such as Bovaer, are a key tool in reducing emissions from agriculture by up to one third. Bovaer is approved for use in 70 countries, including those in the EU, Switzerland, the US, Canada and Australia. We are building the market for safe, effective options and helping farmers to adopt them. Such products are approved by the Food Standards Agency.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The public awareness campaign details were not provided.

How: We Have A System.

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Q5 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Environment
Context

Residents of Jameson Road landfill site area are enduring toxic stench due to Transwaste's activities.

Question

My constituents have had to put up with over two years of toxic stench because of Transwaste’s disgraceful activity at the Jameson Road landfill site. Residents are weary of the endless enforcement orders issued by the Environment Agency. It is not complicated: the toxic stink has to stop. Will the Minister work with me to ensure that the Environment Agency has the powers to shut down these cowboys once and for all?

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

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her tireless campaigning on that disgraceful site. The Environment Agency has served a notice requiring the operator to reduce the risk of smells, and the deadline is 9 February. We expect the operator to comply. If it does not, all options, including suspension and closure, remain on the table.

Answered
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Q6 Edward Morello Lib Dem West Dorset
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Storm Chandra caused severe flooding in multiple villages in West Dorset.

Question

Following Storm Chandra, vast swathes of West Dorset are under water. An amber warning is in place, and we are expecting more flooding. Whole villages have become islands. Eighty-four houses in Yetminster have sewage in them. One family in Maiden Newton had only just moved back into their house following 15 months of repairs after the previous flooding, only to get flooded again within three days. Will the Minister please visit West Dorset and explain to residents how she will get the water companies and the Environment Agency to focus on flood-prone areas?

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

I can hear the hon. Gentleman’s passion and how upset he is about the devastating impact that repeated flooding has had on his community. We are putting a record amount of money into flood defences and will continue to do so. We are also looking at how we can work more effectively with other agencies in the area.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific visit request was not confirmed.

How: I Can Hear The Hon. Gentleman’S Passion

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Q7 John Whitby Lab Derbyshire Dales
Environment
Context

Tideswell brook is the second most pharmaceutically polluted river in the UK.

Question

Tideswell brook was deemed to be the second most pharmaceutically polluted river in the UK, despite being a site of special scientific interest and in a national park. Concentrations of some chemicals are currently more than 2.8 times higher than annual average environmental standards. Will the Government therefore follow the example recently set by the European Union, and require sewage treatment works to treat pharmaceutical micro-pollutants?

Answer from The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Dame Angela Eagle)

Tideswell brook is an issue that requires a thorough investigation. I am not aware of specific steps being taken by the EU in this regard, but we will consider all options to address pollution from pharmaceutical micro-pollutants.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific mandate request was not addressed with details.

How: I Am Not Aware Of Specific Steps Being Taken By The Eu In This Regard

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Q8 Roger Gale Con Herne Bay and Sandwich
Foreign Affairs
Context

On January 8, the US Secretary of the Interior wrote to the UK Secretary of State on behalf of the big game hunting industry asking for the commitment to the trophy importation ban to be abandoned.

Question

In her reply to the US Secretary of the Interior, will she give a robust indication that this Government are committed to maintaining their ban on importing hunting trophies?

Answer from Emma Reynolds

We are committed to banning trophy hunting. It is a manifesto commitment, and we will take it forward.

Answered
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Q9 Catherine Atkinson Lab Derby North
Environment
Context

The River Derwent, which powers the early industrial revolution, flows through Derby and up to the Peak district. Local councils, MPs, East Midlands Mayor, and various organizations agree that turning existing rambling paths into a continuous river walk will benefit health, economy, and wellbeing.

Question

Will the Minister provide an update on establishing regional river walks along the River Derwent?

Answer from Mary Creagh

We said in our manifesto that we would deliver nine new national river walks—one in every region—to bring nature closer to people and make it accessible to everyone. The first walk, in the north-west, will be completed in the spring, and there will be a competition later this year for the next locations.

Answered
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Q10 Adrian Ramsay Green Waveney Valley
Climate Democracy & Elections Environment
Context

The Government’s own national security assessment warns that biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse pose serious risks to the UK's long-term food security, potentially intensifying natural disasters. Parliament has yet to discuss this matter.

Question

Given that Parliament has not had the opportunity to debate this assessment, will the Secretary of State support a dedicated debate on these risks and actions across Government?

Answer from Mary Creagh

The Secretary of State and I have just spent a couple of days in Manchester looking at that with the international science panel on nature. We will report on Monday about how business can do better in tackling those risks, bringing the nature and climate debates together.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Support for dedicated debate

How: Bringing The Nature And Climate Debates Together

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