Topical Questions 2026-03-19

2026-03-19

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Sally Jameson Lab Co-op
Doncaster Central
Context
Concern about agricultural co-operatives' contribution to Government objectives on sustainable farming and food security.
What assessment has the Secretary of State made of agricultural co-operatives and how they might contribute to Government objectives on sustainable farming and food security?
This Labour Government are committed to doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual sector, as we laid out in our manifesto. We already have some very successful agricultural co-operatives such as Arla and Openfield, which benefit the farmers in those co-operatives and their local communities.
Assessment & feedback
Commitment To Doubling Size Without Specifics
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Victoria Atkins Con
Louth and Horncastle
Context
Concern about a Union Jack flag or Made in Britain label not ensuring the food was made or grown in the UK.
Consumers and farmers believe that a Union Jack flag or a Made in Britain label should mean that the food was made or grown in the United Kingdom. We Conservatives, led by my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay), consulted on this flag loophole before the election—and we will close it when we are back in government. May I offer the Secretary of State some help? We have already helped her with her fly-tipping policies this week, and I am pleased to see that she has adopted some of our policies to tackle the problem. Will she now adopt another Conservative plan and close the flag loophole?
The right hon. Lady had 14 years to do what she is talking about.
Assessment & feedback
Attacking The Opposition
Response accuracy
Q3 Partial Answer
Victoria Atkins Con
Louth and Horncastle
Context
Concern about damage to rural economies from government policies, especially fuel taxes.
And the Secretary of State has had this matter sitting on her desk for 18 months. Instead of dealing with it, we have had 18 months of damaging the rural economy, damaging rural businesses and hurting rural families under this Government. Indeed, only yesterday we saw yet another example: as fuel prices surge, Labour MPs voted to make the fuel in our cars even more expensive than it already is. We on the Conservative Benches know that rural families depend on their cars to live, so we ask why this Labour Government are targeting rural families with ever-higher taxes on their cars, their incomes and their businesses, making life harder for us all?
Let me gently point out to the right hon. Lady that on Monday the Prime Minister announced a £53 million package to help rural communities that are reliant on heating oil. On waste crime, I will take no lectures from the right hon. Lady, because the Conservatives had 14 years in government to address waste crime. In 2018 they had a review on what to do about waste crime, and they did precisely nothing.
Assessment & feedback
Attacking The Opposition Discussing Other Issues
Response accuracy
Q4 Partial Answer
Noah Law Lab
St Austell and Newquay
Context
Commitment to protect farmers from being undercut in all new trade deals.
When we came to power, our then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committed to protect farmers from being undercut in all new trade deals. I am pleased to say that we have come good on that commitment. Ahead of the Labour rural research group's push for farming profitability, will the Secretary of State agree to level the playing field in trade deals, and will she reaffirm that commitment to farmers?
We have promoted and protected farmers in trade deals, unlike the previous Government, who sold them down the river with the US and Australian trade deals.
Assessment & feedback
Attacking The Opposition
Response accuracy
Q5 Partial Answer
Bob Blackman Con
Harrow East
Context
Concern about fly-tipping and its costs to local communities.
In Harrow we have suffered two industrial-scale dumping incidents on land that is earmarked for much-needed housing development. It has cost thousands of pounds to clear up. The council has issued more than a thousand fines for people dumping their rubbish on the streets. I welcome the decision by the Secretary of State to introduce further measures. Will she outline what those measures are and when they will be introduced, so that we can end this scourge of fly-tipping?
The hon. Member is absolutely right, but in the last five years under the previous Government, incidents rose by 20%. We are encouraging councils to seize and crush the vehicles of fly-tippers, and we will be consulting on a conditional caution so that people who do fly-tip will pick up and pay up.
Assessment & feedback
Discussing Previous Government'S Record
Response accuracy
Q6 Direct Answer
Paul Davies Lab
Colne Valley
Context
Concern about the water industry highlighted in the programme “Dirty Business”.
The recent real-life drama “Dirty Business” highlighted the scale of the issues within the water industry. In my constituency, Yorkshire Water has had serious issues with sewage outflows and poor standards of infrastructure. I welcome the Government's water reforms, which will protect customers. However, does the Secretary of State agree that we now need to consider public ownership of the water industry in order to resolve the fundamental problems it faces?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. Like the viewers of “Dirty Business” and my hon. Friend, I share the public's anger about the decades of failure and neglect in our water system. The programme was very distressing and upsetting. I have extended an invitation to Heather Preen's mum, Julie, to meet with me. I can reassure my hon. Friend that the Government are determined to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. We have already banned unfair bonuses for water bosses. We are scrapping Ofwat, and we are ending self-monitoring of water companies.
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q7 Direct Answer
Munira Wilson Lib Dem
Twickenham
Context
Concern about public health due to poor standards in the water industry, as highlighted by a constituent's illness after swimming.
My constituent Caroline fell ill after swimming in the River Thames. She needed antibiotic treatment and was warned by her doctor never to swim in the river again. Like many others, she has been enraged by Channel 4's “Dirty Business”. Will the Secretary of State step up and not just replace Ofwat but improve transparency by monitoring sewage by volume, not just length of time?
It is incredibly distressing to hear of people falling ill when using our bathing waters. One reform that we are looking at—being led by Chris Whitty—is about public health and water. We want to ensure that when we are making reforms to the water industry, we do so through the lens of thinking about it as a public health issue as well as a pollution issue. We must take action so that we do not continue to see people falling ill after using our beautiful bathing waters.
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q8 Partial Answer
Ben Goldsborough Lab
South Norfolk
Context
The John Innes Centre in South Norfolk is using gene-editing technology to boost vitamin D in tomatoes, addressing the issue of one in five people facing a vitamin D deficiency.
One in five people face a vitamin D deficiency, with serious health impacts. The John Innes Centre is boosting vitamin D in tomatoes using gene-editing technology and the Quadrum Institute is studying its impact. Will the Minister visit Norwich research park to support the changing agritech that is supporting people to live healthier lives?
We are committed to growing the agritech and engineering biology sectors, which are key to the industrial strategy. We are allocating £200 million to the farming innovation programme for this purpose. I look forward to trying to visit my hon. Friend as soon as I am out that way.
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not specify a timeline or commitment for visiting Norwich Research Park.
Response accuracy
Q9 Partial Answer
Thomas Tugendhat Con
Tonbridge
Context
The planned house building in Tonbridge is not possible with the current water capability available.
I was wondering whether the Minister has had a chance to speak to her colleague the Housing Secretary about the different pressures that water is having on housing demand in Kent. If she had spoken to Tonbridge and Malling council and South East Water, she would have heard that the planned house building is simply not possible with the water capability available. Has she engaged in any way with her housing colleagues, and does she have an answer for the people in my community?
The short answer is yes. The Minister for Housing and I sit on the water delivery taskforce, which considers whether we have the water we need where we need it. We have done some heatmapping to find areas of stress, and have committed to building nine new reservoirs—none has been built over the past 30 years.
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide a specific solution for Tonbridge's housing demand issue.
Response accuracy
Q10 Partial Answer
Chris Hinchliff Lab
North East Hertfordshire
Context
There are widespread concerns that the UK is falling behind on its national biodiversity targets.
There are widespread concerns that we are way off our national biodiversity targets. Does the Minister agree that there must be no further backward steps on environmental protections, and that we must set clear red lines for nature?
I agree that the environmental improvement plan that we inherited was not fit for purpose. We will oversee the largest ever investment in nature. We have banned bee-killing pesticides, licensed the first wild beaver release in England for 400 years, and announced the first new national forest for 30 years.
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not directly address setting clear red lines for nature's protection.
Response accuracy
Q11 Partial Answer
Aphra Brandreth Con
Chester South and Eddisbury
Context
Red diesel prices have risen by 60%, fertiliser prices are affected by the strait of Hormuz, and energy prices are rising.
Red diesel prices have shot up by 60%, a third of the world's fertiliser goes through the strait of Hormuz, and energy prices are skyrocketing. All that is creating challenges for farmers, and will ultimately affect the prices we pay for food in the shops. What is the Minister doing to work across Departments to reduce pressure on farmers, and to reassure them that, for once, the Government understand the challenges they face and their importance for UK food security?
We are well aware that events in the middle east are putting pressure on input prices. The hon. Lady mentions red diesel and fertiliser for the farming sector. I have talked to the chief executive officer of the Competition and Markets Authority. We are taking a close look at what is happening to ensure that there is no market abuse, and will keep a watching brief on the situation as it develops.
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not provide specific actions addressing rising costs for farmers.
Response accuracy
Q12 Partial Answer
Daniel Francis Lab
Bexleyheath and Crayford
Context
Residents are concerned about Thames Water's price increase last year.
Although they appreciate the need to put right the failings of the past, my constituents continue to raise concerns about Thames Water's price increase last year. Will the Minister assure them that Thames Water is being held to account and will provide information to customers about how local infrastructure will be improved?
I share my hon. Friend's anger about the poor service that many people receive from Thames Water. I can absolutely assure him that Thames Water is being held to account—a record £122 million fine was issued by Ofwat only a few months ago.
Assessment & feedback
The answer does not address informing customers about local infrastructure improvements.
Response accuracy
Q13 Partial Answer
Steve Barclay Con
North East Cambridgeshire
Context
There was a category 1 pollution incident at Stanground, near Whittlesey in the constituency.
After a serious pollution incident, the Environment Agency produces a help report, which is shared with the Secretary of State's officials, so she would have been notified of the category 1 pollution incident—the most serious rating—that occurred in September 2024 at Stanground, near Whittlesey in my constituency. No prosecution has been made, however. Why not?
I will be happy to look into the matter and get back to the right hon. Gentleman in writing.
Assessment & feedback
The answer deflected by promising to look into it rather than addressing why no prosecution has been made.
Response accuracy
Q14 Partial Answer
Douglas McAllister Lab
West Dunbartonshire
Context
There were over 204,000 hours of illegal sewage spills in England last year.
The organisation Surfers Against Sewage has just published its investigation of illegal dry spills by water companies in 2025. There were over 204,000 hours of illegal sewage spills in England last year. The situation in Scotland is no better: Scottish Water faces little accountability, with just 30% of overflows monitored and 70% unreported. Will the Government take tougher action to ensure that water companies are held properly to account?
In England we are absolutely holding those companies to account by banning bonuses, abolishing Ofwat, and introducing over 10,000 inspections for water companies. Sadly, our power does not extend to Scotland.
Assessment & feedback
The answer focuses on England but avoids addressing the Scottish situation directly.
Response accuracy
Q15 Partial Answer
Chris Law SNP
Dundee Central
Context
The fishing and coastal growth fund saw an utter meagre £28 million devolved to Scotland.
The fishing and coastal growth fund saw an utterly meagre £28 million devolved to Scotland and £304 million allocated to England, even though Scotland represents 60% of fishing capacity in the UK. Despite the Government's inability to understand basic arithmetic, is the Minister considering mitigations to ensure that Scotland's fishing industry and coastal communities can thrive?
In the comprehensive spending review, the Scottish Government received the largest real-terms increase in their funding since devolution. If they wish to support Scotland's thriving fishing industry further, they have every right to do so.
Assessment & feedback
The answer deflects by highlighting increases in overall funding for Scotland without addressing the specific allocation issue.
Response accuracy