To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, if she will publish a breakdown of the (a) nitrates and (b) phosphates found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, if she will publish a breakdown of the (a) nitrates and (b) phosphates found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans her Department maintains to ensure the continued availability of essential food supplies in the event of significant domestic or international crop failures caused by extreme weather.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans her Department maintains to ensure the continued availability of essential food supplies in the event of significant domestic or international crop failures caused by extreme weather.

El Niño conditions form when warmer waters spread across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in global changes to weather and climate. Several forecasts from national weather agencies indicate that the next El Niño could be one of the strongest on record.

El Niño conditions form when warmer waters spread across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in global changes to weather and climate. Several forecasts from national weather agencies indicate that the next El Niño could be one of the strongest on record.

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy to prevent communities from being left without electricity, heating, water or other essential services during extreme cold weather.

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy to prevent communities from being left without electricity, heating, water or other essential services during extreme cold weather.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what assessment has she made of the source of the high nitrate levels found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what assessment has she made of the source of the high nitrate levels found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications of climate-related extreme weather for the resilience of the UK’s food supply.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications of climate-related extreme weather for the resilience of the UK’s food supply.

My Lords, the United Kingdom Food Security Report of 2024 suggests that rising temperatures will increase the likelihood of extreme weather events, which do of course represent significant risks to UK food security. So we are investing in resilience by spending £200 million up to 2030 through the Farming Innovation Programme, and £65 million to support farmers, given recent drought conditions, including an extra £50 million for sustainable farming incentive agreements for short-term and long-term resilience to our changing climate.

My Lords, the United Kingdom Food Security Report of 2024 suggests that rising temperatures will increase the likelihood of extreme weather events, which do of course represent significant risks to UK food security. So we are investing in resilience by spending £200 million up to 2030 through the Farming Innovation Programme, and £65 million to support farmers, given recent drought conditions, including an extra £50 million for sustainable farming incentive agreements for short-term and long-term resilience to our changing climate.

My Lords, the National Audit Office is concerned about our food security: 2026 is on track to be our worst harvest, and our five worst harvests have all been since 2020. A major El Niño event will make matters worse. Add in global conflict, and we have a recipe for food inflation and possible shortages. A freedom of information request reported in the Guardian found that just 20 of Defra’s 6,613 staff are working on climate adaptation. Is safeguarding our food security receiving adequate consideration?

My Lords, the National Audit Office is concerned about our food security: 2026 is on track to be our worst harvest, and our five worst harvests have all been since 2020. A major El Niño event will make matters worse. Add in global conflict, and we have a recipe for food inflation and possible shortages. A freedom of information request reported in the Guardian found that just 20 of Defra’s 6,613 staff are working on climate adaptation. Is safeguarding our food security receiving adequate consideration?

In looking at where staff work, it is important to take into account that many staff work across different briefs in the organisation. While people may not be specifically working on something, there are implications across other parts of the department which are also involved in that work. Food security is a critical part of the

work Defra does. We are looking at ways to increase resilience in the face of the increased effects of climate change.

In looking at where staff work, it is important to take into account that many staff work across different briefs in the organisation. While people may not be specifically working on something, there are implications across other parts of the department which are also involved in that work. Food security is a critical part of the

work Defra does. We are looking at ways to increase resilience in the face of the increased effects of climate change.

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that the NFU says that there is an urgent need—

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that the NFU says that there is an urgent need—

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that the NFU has declared an urgent need for on-farm reservoirs. The Minister has stated frequently that she is in favour of on-farm reservoirs. However, there is an inconsistency in the guidance and planning for permitted development rights. Will she urgently speak to her colleagues in the housing department to ensure that the planning guidance permits on-farm reservoirs to store the water for when it is needed by farmers and horticultural growers?

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that the NFU has declared an urgent need for on-farm reservoirs. The Minister has stated frequently that she is in favour of on-farm reservoirs. However, there is an inconsistency in the guidance and planning for permitted development rights. Will she urgently speak to her colleagues in the housing department to ensure that the planning guidance permits on-farm reservoirs to store the water for when it is needed by farmers and horticultural growers?

As the noble Baroness says, I am extremely supportive of on-farm reservoirs. They are very important, which is why we have announced funding of up to £15 million through Defra to build on-farm reservoirs as part of the drought package. We have also offered two rounds of water management grants so far. That has provided £8.8 million of funding towards management, including for the construction of reservoirs. We are speaking to MHCLG about a number of issues where we need to improve planning and make it more reactive to requirements.

As the noble Baroness says, I am extremely supportive of on-farm reservoirs. They are very important, which is why we have announced funding of up to £15 million through Defra to build on-farm reservoirs as part of the drought package. We have also offered two rounds of water management grants so far. That has provided £8.8 million of funding towards management, including for the construction of reservoirs. We are speaking to MHCLG about a number of issues where we need to improve planning and make it more reactive to requirements.

My Lords, to adapt to future climate and weather, we must develop new genetic varieties of the crops we grow. Gene editing will be a powerful tool to enable this. When I recently visited the Wellesbourne research station, I saw field trials of gene-edited soya plants that will be suitable to grow in the UK. Corteva, the company running these trials, is passionate about the fact that our legislation is more permissive and proportionate, and particularly beneficial for research and development. When negotiations to finalise the SPS agreement are reached, can we be assured that we will protect the advantages we have compared with the EU system?

My Lords, to adapt to future climate and weather, we must develop new genetic varieties of the crops we grow. Gene editing will be a powerful tool to enable this. When I recently visited the Wellesbourne research station, I saw field trials of gene-edited soya plants that will be suitable to grow in the UK. Corteva, the company running these trials, is passionate about the fact that our legislation is more permissive and proportionate, and particularly beneficial for research and development. When negotiations to finalise the SPS agreement are reached, can we be assured that we will protect the advantages we have compared with the EU system?

Noble Lords will not be surprised to hear me say that I cannot comment on the negotiations, which are taking place ahead of the summit, but we hope to have a date finalised soon. But I can assure the noble Lord that we understand the importance of this. It has been critical to the work we have been doing to have that flexibility. We are discussing very seriously with the EU how we can protect what we are doing in this area.

Noble Lords will not be surprised to hear me say that I cannot comment on the negotiations, which are taking place ahead of the summit, but we hope to have a date finalised soon. But I can assure the noble Lord that we understand the importance of this. It has been critical to the work we have been doing to have that flexibility. We are discussing very seriously with the EU how we can protect what we are doing in this area.

I remind the House that I am a small organic farmer. The Minister must understand that in the farming community as a whole, there is a

real feeling of abandonment. She can say what the Government are doing, but there is a real feeling that there is no commitment. The new Secretary of State has begun well in trying to build this up, but can she explain to the rest of the Government that farming matters and is crucial for the future, particularly when farmers have to face these terrible weather effects? In the last five years there have been the worst harvests ever, two because they were burnt out and one because it was flooded out. Can she help the rest of the Government to talk about agriculture and the countryside in a way that sounds as if they are committed?

I remind the House that I am a small organic farmer. The Minister must understand that in the farming community as a whole, there is a

real feeling of abandonment. She can say what the Government are doing, but there is a real feeling that there is no commitment. The new Secretary of State has begun well in trying to build this up, but can she explain to the rest of the Government that farming matters and is crucial for the future, particularly when farmers have to face these terrible weather effects? In the last five years there have been the worst harvests ever, two because they were burnt out and one because it was flooded out. Can she help the rest of the Government to talk about agriculture and the countryside in a way that sounds as if they are committed?

I am very pleased that the noble Lord thinks the new Secretary of State has made a good start: I agree. It is very encouraging that the new Prime Minister has also been talking about farming, rural businesses and rural communities in a very positive way, understanding that we need to better ensure that rural communities are properly represented across government. Defra takes this very seriously, and we will continue to work with other departments to stress that point.

I am very pleased that the noble Lord thinks the new Secretary of State has made a good start: I agree. It is very encouraging that the new Prime Minister has also been talking about farming, rural businesses and rural communities in a very positive way, understanding that we need to better ensure that rural communities are properly represented across government. Defra takes this very seriously, and we will continue to work with other departments to stress that point.

My Lords, it is essential for domestic food production that we have a healthy population of pollinators, yet our pollinators have declined since the 1980s by a quarter, particularly certain bee species and hoverflies. What are the Government doing about that issue as it applies to the sustainable farming incentive and biodiversity net gain? We must solve this problem for the future.

My Lords, it is essential for domestic food production that we have a healthy population of pollinators, yet our pollinators have declined since the 1980s by a quarter, particularly certain bee species and hoverflies. What are the Government doing about that issue as it applies to the sustainable farming incentive and biodiversity net gain? We must solve this problem for the future.

One of the things the Government are doing is working to promote more sustainable farming, because sustainable farming will turn this around and make the difference. We must support our pollinators by looking at how we farm and what we spray on our farms. That is why I am very pleased to have recently been given the pesticides brief, and I will be working to see what we can do in that space.

Also, we have threats from non-native invasive species—the yellow-legged hornet is causing all sorts of problems. We are working very hard to tackle that as well, because there are threats from all sides, as the noble Lord says.

One of the things the Government are doing is working to promote more sustainable farming, because sustainable farming will turn this around and make the difference. We must support our pollinators by looking at how we farm and what we spray on our farms. That is why I am very pleased to have recently been given the pesticides brief, and I will be working to see what we can do in that space.

Also, we have threats from non-native invasive species—the yellow-legged hornet is causing all sorts of problems. We are working very hard to tackle that as well, because there are threats from all sides, as the noble Lord says.