This Government considers matters relating to legal risk and potential legal risk across the range of government work, and has the benefit of expert in-house legal teams who advise across the whole range of government work.

This Government is currently negotiating a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement to reduce barriers to trade, improve the flow of agrifood goods and maintain high standards of biosecurity. The department expect the agreement with the EU to be consistent with Defra’s international obligations and have entered negotiations with the EU in full awareness of the department’s international commitments, including under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

We remain committed to implementing the Precision Breeding Act and enabling the safe development of innovative genetic technologies.

Under the UK‑EU Common Understanding, it is recognised that there will be areas where the UK will retain its own rules. The detail of those is subject to ongoing negotiations, and it would not be appropriate to comment further.

This Government is committed to supporting the growth of nature services markets, providing new ways for farmers to diversify revenue and increase business resilience. Opportunities for individual farms vary, depending on their farming system, local demand for nature services, and their appetite for diversification.

This Government does not have a quantified assessment of the cumulative revenue opportunities for carbon and nature markets by 2030 but is acting to increase demand. This includes extending mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, establishing the Nature Restoration Fund, and growing the role of nature-based solutions for the water system through reforms outlined in “A New Vision for Water”.

The Government’s £13m Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund supported more than 130 projects – many involving farmers – to attract private finance. The Government is also working with the British Standards Institution to outline clear standards, so farmers can take up market opportunities with confidence.

This Government is committed to supporting the growth of nature services markets, providing new ways for farmers to diversify revenue and increase business resilience. Opportunities for individual farms vary, depending on their farming system, local demand for nature services, and their appetite for diversification.

This Government does not have a quantified assessment of the cumulative revenue opportunities for carbon and nature markets by 2030 but is acting to increase demand. This includes extending mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, establishing the Nature Restoration Fund, and growing the role of nature-based solutions for the water system through reforms outlined in “A New Vision for Water”.

The Government’s £13m Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund supported more than 130 projects – many involving farmers – to attract private finance. The Government is also working with the British Standards Institution to outline clear standards, so farmers can take up market opportunities with confidence.

The fundamental principles of our food labelling rules are that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable consumers to make informed decisions.

Country of origin information is required for fresh and frozen meat of beef cattle, sheep, goat, pigs and poultry, as well as uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, wine and some fish products. It is also required for all prepacked food where its omission would be misleading to consumers. In any case, where an indication of origin or provenance is given, either in words or pictures, this must be accurate.

Under existing rules, any food or food product that is not classed as UK origin cannot be presented (or implied e.g. using a Union flag) as being British. Food products manufactured in the UK are British products, many of which are well known British brands abroad. But if these contain a primary ingredient that is not British, then a British claim can only be made on the label if the label also highlights that the primary ingredient is not British.

Defra officials will continue to review the rules around origin labelling.

This Government considers the interim target for 50% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest features to have actions on track to achieve favourable condition by December 2030, to be ambitious and achievable.

The interim target was set following the review of the 2023 Environmental Improvement plan, which looked at the environmental data and indicators and the expected delivery against Environment Act targets.

We considered the scale of action needed to improve the condition of features alongside the ambition for 75% of protected sites to be in favourable condition by 2042. Delivery is supported by improved monitoring, sustainable land management, action to tackle pressures such as pollution, Protected Site Strategies, and the Major Landowners Group.

The Government will prepare a regulatory impact assessment for the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement as part of the normal regulatory process. The assessment will be developed alongside any secondary legislation required to implement the Agreement and will set out the impacts of the resulting legislative changes.

The Government will prepare a regulatory impact assessment for the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement as part of the normal regulatory process. The assessment will be developed alongside any secondary legislation required to implement the Agreement and will set out the impacts of the resulting legislative changes.

Natural England (NE) is an arm's-length body whose expenditure is subject to public accounting and audit arrangements, adhering to the requirements of HMT ‘Managing Public Money’. The National Audit Office also conducts value for money studies across government, including Natural England, which Defra responds to.

The NE Framework Document sets out financial accountabilities and controls and the operational framework between NE and Defra. NE publishes independently audited annual accounts which are laid before Parliament. Defra ensures NE provides value for money by implementing robust accountability including quarterly performance monitoring and Ministerial oversight.

My Lords, Natural England has not announced plans to reduce livestock grazing on Dartmoor by 75%. However, we recognise that changes to grazing regimes need to be carefully and sensitively handled and agreed to collectively, in order to address declines in wildlife and biodiversity. We expect Natural England and commons graziers to work collaboratively to develop more adaptive grazing arrangements, working with the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

Bottom trawling is restricted for both UK and EU vessels where it damages sensitive habitats such as in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Around 60% of the 181 MPAs in England restrict damaging fishing activities such as bottom trawling already and last year we consulted on proposals to restrict bottom trawling in a further 41 MPAs. Results are currently being analysed.

This is a challenging situation which requires consideration of the safety of mariners as well as the conservation needs of this critically endangered population of Iberian orca. This issue has been ongoing since 2020 and has been discussed in the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) Scientific Committee since 2021.

A workshop in 2024 which included the UK-backed Vice-Chair of the IWC’s Scientific Committee, members of the Scientific Committee and orca experts assessed the behaviour and developed mitigation measures with a view to safeguarding lives at sea. Recommendations included moving away from the area and using measures that produce noise if appropriate authorisations are in place and highlighted the need for further research to better understand the issue.

This topic is due to be discussed at this year’s International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee meeting which begins next week, running 27 April to 8 May. The UK will Chair this year’s meeting, and Defra officials and experts from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee will also be in attendance.

The costs associated with this intervention have been independently verified and are commercially sensitive. The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts will record the expenditure incurred with Ensus and disclosures surrounding the expenditure incurred will reflect the materiality of the arrangement to the Department’s accounts, as is required by International Financial Reporting Standards.

The plant is being restarted on a temporary basis for three months as a pre-emptive measure. Government will continue to monitor market conditions closely to determine whether the continued production of CO2 at Ensus is required.

The 1.4 billion litre duty‑free tariff‑rate quota (TRQ) for US ethanol imports was introduced as part of the negotiation of the General Terms for the UK–US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD).

Discussions on the EPD are ongoing, covering tariff and non-tariff barriers, including digital and services trade.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a trade agreement.

The 1.4 billion litre duty‑free tariff‑rate quota (TRQ) for US ethanol imports was introduced as part of the negotiation of the General Terms for the UK–US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD).

Discussions on the EPD are ongoing, covering tariff and non-tariff barriers, including digital and services trade.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a trade agreement.

Working with statutory nature conservation bodies, this Government is processing options to improve monitoring of the English Marine Protected Area (MPA) network including through use of modern technology. Defra secured increased funding in this year’s Spending Review to support expanded ecological surveys, non‑intrusive monitoring methods, and enhanced satellite‑based compliance monitoring. This will support enforcement and evidence to inform future management measures.

Defra and its arm’s‑length bodies are also investing, in innovative approaches such as automation, remote data collection and environmental DNA. This aims to support more cost‑effective and holistic assessment of environmental change and MPA effectiveness. Defra is jointly funding a pilot collaborative survey through the Centre for Seabed Mapping to generate high‑resolution data in priority MPAs, fill evidence gaps, and test scalable models for future UK marine monitoring and innovation.

Defra sponsors the British Standards Institution’s (BSI) Nature Investment Standards Programme to work with industry to develop a suite of standards to ensure that as they develop, UK nature markets secure positive outcomes for the environment. These standards have been developed using a market-led process with input from market experts, including private companies, and feedback from public consultations.

The standards are designed to drive consistency and integrity across UK nature markets, and Government is putting in place a range of other interventions to stimulate more private investment into nature recovery. At this stage, it has not been possible to attribute specific levels of investment to the standards, so no such assessment has been made. In line with the Magenta book, Defra is evaluating the impact of the standards, including on levels of investment.

On 24 March 2026, following consultations on earlier draft versions, BSI published standards for the Supply of Biodiversity Benefits and the Supply of Nutrient Benefits. These are available, along with all other published standards and those in development, at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-investment-standards/the-bsi-nature-investment-standards (see attached). A draft standard for the Supply of Nature-based Carbon Benefits was published for consultation in summer 2025 and a subsequent version will be published in due course.

Also, in March this year we published a Land Use Framework for England which set a vision for multifunctional land use. To achieve that vision, we recognise that in some circumstances, it may make sense for multiple revenue streams to be combined on the same area of land. We are considering how best to support this vision while maintaining environmental integrity and intend to set out our position later this year as part of the forthcoming response to the recent consultation on Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets.

Defra sponsors the British Standards Institution’s (BSI) Nature Investment Standards Programme to work with industry to develop a suite of standards to ensure that as they develop, UK nature markets secure positive outcomes for the environment. These standards have been developed using a market-led process with input from market experts, including private companies, and feedback from public consultations.

The standards are designed to drive consistency and integrity across UK nature markets, and Government is putting in place a range of other interventions to stimulate more private investment into nature recovery. At this stage, it has not been possible to attribute specific levels of investment to the standards, so no such assessment has been made. In line with the Magenta book, Defra is evaluating the impact of the standards, including on levels of investment.

On 24 March 2026, following consultations on earlier draft versions, BSI published standards for the Supply of Biodiversity Benefits and the Supply of Nutrient Benefits. These are available, along with all other published standards and those in development, at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-investment-standards/the-bsi-nature-investment-standards (see attached). A draft standard for the Supply of Nature-based Carbon Benefits was published for consultation in summer 2025 and a subsequent version will be published in due course.

Also, in March this year we published a Land Use Framework for England which set a vision for multifunctional land use. To achieve that vision, we recognise that in some circumstances, it may make sense for multiple revenue streams to be combined on the same area of land. We are considering how best to support this vision while maintaining environmental integrity and intend to set out our position later this year as part of the forthcoming response to the recent consultation on Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets.