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Category: Environment

  • Emma Reynolds – 2026 Speech at the Oxford Farming Conference

    Emma Reynolds – 2026 Speech at the Oxford Farming Conference

    The speech made by Emma Reynolds, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 8 January 2026.

    Good morning,

    It’s a real pleasure to be here at my first Oxford Farming Conference.

    This conference has a remarkable history – 90 years of new ideas being tested, challenges being confronted, and the future of British farming being shaped.

    Farmers are the custodians of 70% of England’s land and provide 65% of the food we eat.

    You are at the heart of our national life – for what you produce, the communities you sustain, and the landscapes and heritage you protect.

    I live in a rural area and I represent a rural constituency with 89 farms. So I came to this role with an understanding of the challenges you face – and the opportunities ahead.

    One of my first conversations as Secretary of State was with the NFU’s President, Tom Bradshaw. Since then, I’ve had frequent discussions with him and stakeholders from across the sector – hearing about your concerns, your frustrations, and your ambitions.

    And every one of those conversations has deepened my respect for what you do.

    For your resilience in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather and volatile markets.

    For your innovation in finding new ways to farm productively and sustainably in a changing climate.

    And for your determination to build businesses you can pass on to the next generation.

    Speaking of your determination, I also want to take this opportunity to thank farmers who have been out clearing roads and helping to protect their local communities in the recent snow.

    You step up when your communities need you and you are the heart of rural Britain.

    Today I’m going to cover a lot of ground, but there are 3 commitments that run throughout my speech.

    First, that this government is serious about partnership with your sector.

    Second, that we’re committed to giving you clarity and stability.

    Third, that we’re backing you to grow with confidence and resilience.

    Let me start with the announcement we made just before Christmas.

    Since starting this role in September, I’ve listened to farmers and stakeholders about your concerns on proposed changes to inheritance tax.

    You told me the threshold was too low. You told me it would hit small family farms – the very farms we want to protect.

    Farms that have been in families for generations. Farms you understandably want to pass on to your children.

    We have listened and we are making changes – increasing the inheritance tax threshold for Agricultural and Business Property Relief from £1 million to £2.5 million pounds.

    That means couples can pass on up to £5 million pounds without paying inheritance tax on their assets. That’s on top of the existing allowances such as the nil-rate band.

    Around 85% of estates claiming APR, including those also claiming BPR, will pay no more inheritance tax.

    Good governments listen. And when they hear real concerns, they act.

    That’s exactly what we’ve done and now we can move forward together.

    That commitment to partnership is why we asked Baroness Minette Batters to lead an independent review into farming profitability.

    We are working through all of her recommendations and we will set out a more detailed response in our 25 year Farming Roadmap, built with you, later this year.

    However, we have issued our initial, high-level response.

    She underlined the need for government to work in close partnership with the agriculture and food industry.

    I completely agree.

    So we will set up a Farming and Food Partnership Board to bring together the whole agri-food system – farmers, food processors, retailers and finance.

    Because food security isn’t just about what happens on the farm. It’s about the whole chain – from farm to fork.

    I will chair this new Board with my excellent colleague, the Farming Minister, Angela Eagle, as my deputy.

    Farmers will have a seat at the table when policy is developed. And it is your voice that will shape what government does.

    It also means that government can ask things of you – and of the wider food system.

    When we open new export markets, we need the industry ready to seize them.

    When consumers want more British produce, we need retailers committed to stocking it.

    When there’s an opportunity to grow, we need the whole system pulling in the same direction.

    That’s what partnership means. Not just listening but acting together.

    And it won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach.

    Different parts of our food system face different challenges and opportunities.

    We will develop sector plans – initially with horticulture and then with poultry. This will be followed by other sectors – where there’s real scope to grow more of our own food.

    Because when British farming thrives, consumers benefit – with affordable, high-quality food on their tables.

    Alongside creating the partnership board and sector plans, we have also announced planning reform to unlock food and farming infrastructure.

    Stepping up action on supply chain fairness.

    Bringing together farmers and financial institutions to tackle barriers to private investment.

    And dedicated trade missions to showcase British food and drink overseas.

    However, it’s not just the relationship between government and farmers that matters – it’s farmers’ relationships with one another.

    The Batters review highlights that collaboration between farmers and indeed with experts will be key to closing the productivity gap and improving farm profitability.

    So today I’m pleased to announce our new Farmer Collaboration Fund of £30 million pounds, over 3 years.

    We want to make it easier for farmers to share knowledge with each other. To make best practice common practice.

    Across the country, farmers are already coming together – sharing that best practice, managing rivers that cross boundaries, and accessing private investment that would otherwise be out of reach.

    We want to support these existing networks and help get new ones off the ground.

    Our vision is to help farmers improve their productivity and profitability; and to collaborate on delivering positive environmental change together.

    After all, the best ideas in farming don’t come from Whitehall. They come from farmers. You know your industry better than anyone else.

    There’s no such thing as a typical farm.

    A dairy farm faces different challenges to a horticultural business. A hill farmer in Cumbria operates differently to an arable farmer in East Anglia.

    Our approach must recognise this diversity.

    And nowhere is that more important than in our uplands.

    They provide over 70% of our drinking water, support rural livelihoods and are home to precious wildlife and beautiful landscapes.

    And they produce food in some of the most challenging conditions anywhere in the country.

    For too long, upland communities have faced a perfect storm. Economic fragility. Social isolation. Environmental pressures.

    We want to change that.

    Over the last year, we’ve started working with social entrepreneur Dr Hilary Cottam on a new approach.

    An approach where we get out on the ground and talk directly to upland communities.

    So today, I’m announcing that Dr Cottam and Defra will start a long-term partnership with communities in Dartmoor, then Cumbria.

    The overall vision is to develop a place-based approach for what these communities need; co-designing solutions to specific problems.

    By developing a common understanding of how land can be best used for food production and the public good.

    It’s vital we build governance that reflects the local challenges and opportunities of these areas.

    Together we will look at pooling public, private and third sector resources. Laying the foundations for new income streams. And creating the skills and networks that let communities lead their own transformation.

    That’s the most important thing here, that communities lead change from the ground up.

    During our time with upland communities, we also heard how much farmers value our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

    Today I’m pleased to announce we’re extending the programme for another three years – with £30 million pounds in funding next year.

    The programme has partnership at its core. It brings farmers, protected landscape organisations and communities together to deliver change at a scale no single holding could achieve alone.

    This extension means more farmers can deliver for wildlife, climate and their communities in England’s National Parks and National Landscapes.

    Productive farms at the heart of thriving rural areas.

    And that partnership approach continues with the new SFI offer launching this year.

    You’ve told me, loud and clear, that you need clarity, stability and predictability.

    I have a background in business. So I know how important margins, risk, and long-term investment are to you. Running a farm means balancing immediate pressures with decisions that will play out over decades.

    To make those decisions, you need to know where you stand.

    Protecting the environmental foundations of farming isn’t separate from profitability. It’s essential to it.

    Because without healthy land, there is no food. And without profitable farms, there are no farmers to produce it.

    Healthy soil. Clean water. Thriving pollinators. These aren’t nice to haves. They’re business fundamentals, environmental necessities and the foundations of our food security.

    And with more than 50,000 farm businesses already in environmental land management schemes, many of you clearly agree.

    But I’ve heard your frustrations. The SFI scheme became too complex. The unexpected closure last year damaged trust and confidence. And too much of the available funding was being absorbed by bigger farms.

    So we’re making three changes to fix that.

    First: we’re making it simpler and more focused.

    90% of spending currently goes on fewer than 40 of the 102 actions available.

    So we’re streamlining it. Fewer actions. Less complexity. Easier to apply.

    You’ll still have plenty of choice – but this government recognises SFI must work alongside food production not displace it.

    So we will limit how much land can be put into certain actions and review payment rates for others.

    These changes will make funding go further, allowing more people to benefit from agreements.

    Second: we’re improving fairness and accessibility.

    Right now, a quarter of the money goes to just 4% of farms.

    How can that be fair?

    We want to see farmers helping nature thrive everywhere, not just in a few places.

    So, we’re considering ways to address this such as an agreement value cap.

    This will help us meet our ambitious Environmental Improvement Plan target to double the number of farms delivering for wildlife.

    I’ve heard you say that you need planning certainty.

    I know many of you will have Environmental Land Management agreements expiring later this year.

    So I can confirm today, that we will open two SFI application windows this year.

    An initial window from June for small farms, and also those without existing Environmental Land Management agreements.

    Then a further window from September for all farms.

    Third: we’re going to provide certainty and transparency.

    From day one, I’ve heard loud and clear how important it is for you to plan for the future.

    I recognise that mistakes were made in the past, and that’s why I acted quickly – extending Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements and opening applications for the new and improved Higher-Tier offer.

    I am determined to provide you with that same stability going forward.

    So we will publish full scheme details before the first window opens and set clear budgets for each window – just like with the Capital Grants offer last year.

    There will be no more sudden unexpected closures.

    We’ll give you regular updates so you know when a window is close to being fully subscribed.

    Together, we will work with you to get the detail of these three changes right to deliver an SFI that is simpler, fairer, and more stable.

    An SFI shaped with you, that works for you.

    Once these changes are in place, the main design of SFI will be stabilised for the rest of this Parliament. So you know what to expect in the years to come.

    Because growth in farming depends upon solid environmental foundations.

    And British farming is a key growth sector – one we are backing for the long term.

    I’ve met farmers who want to build. Farmers who want to export. Farmers who want to invest in new technology.

    Too often, you’ve been held back by bureaucracy. Our government is changing that.

    I’ve heard from many of you that the planning system has stopped you building the vital infrastructure you need.

    That’s why last month, we launched a consultation on planning changes to make it easier to build on-farm reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels, and farm shops – so you are free to diversify, adapt and grow.

    Planning should enable ambition, not stifle it.

    But your ambitions don’t stop at the farm gate. Many of you want to reach new customers – not just here, but abroad.

    We’re opening doors to new markets by promoting British agriculture in trade deals with India, the US and Korea.

    Our deal with the EU on food standards will slash red tape and costs, improving access to the EU market.

    And our network of global agri-food attachés has unlocked export deals worth over £125 million pounds in the last year alone.

    We’re also backing the technology that will define the next generation of British farming – precision agriculture, new breeding techniques, and smarter use of data.

    And as this year’s OFC report rightly states, “farming has always evolved” and your “ability to innovate, adapt and be resilient remains your greatest asset”.

    And we will support you with that resilience.

    You know better than anyone how quickly extreme weather and disease can overturn months of work.

    That’s why we’re investing a record £10.5 billion pounds in flood defences and transforming our animal disease prevention capability through a new National Biosecurity Centre.

    The growth opportunities for British farming are significant. And we are backing you to seize them.

    So let me finish where I began.

    Partnership. We will work with you, not impose on you. Through our new Farming and Food Partnership Board. Through peer-to-peer networks. Through community-led change. And through engagement on the detailed changes to SFI.

    Clarity and stability. You will have the certainty you need to plan. Clear budgets. Clear timelines. And a clear Farming Roadmap for the future.

    Growth built on strong foundations. Trade deals that open new markets. Planning reforms that cut through barriers. Investment that backs your ambition.

    And most importantly, profitable farming and a thriving environment – not as a trade-off, but as two sides of the same coin.

    These are my commitments to you.

    The foundation for the bright future we are building together.

    That’s what modern British agriculture looks like.

    Productive. Profitable. Sustainable.

    Thank you.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2026 Statement on the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy

    Emma Reynolds – 2026 Statement on the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy

    The statement made by Emma Reynolds, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 January 2026.

    We are a nation of animal lovers. People across the country care deeply for animals, and the UK has a proud history of being pioneers when it comes to ensuring the very best for them. This Government are committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals for the long term, and we are changing how we will deliver the improvements needed to achieve the most ambitious reforms to animal welfare in a generation.

    On 22 December, the Government published our new animal welfare strategy. This strategy sets out the UK Government’s priorities for England, focusing on the changes and improvements we aim to achieve by 2030.

    The strategy is a comprehensive package of reforms that will improve the lives of millions of animals across the UK at home, on farm and in the wild.

    We set out how we will deliver our manifesto pledges to ban trail hunting and the use of snare traps, and to end puppy farming and puppy smuggling. We are giving farm animals greater freedom and dignity and protecting our wildlife.

    By improving animal welfare standards, we are supporting healthier, more productive livestock that delivers better outcomes for farmers, farm profitability, food security and the high welfare standards that British consumers expect.

    The animal welfare strategy builds on this Government’s proven track record in delivering reforms for animals. This includes introducing new world-leading standards for zoos earlier this year and supporting the passage of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 and the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025.

    In November last year, we published a strategy on replacing animals in science, which set out how we would partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing.

    Rather than piecemeal legislation, we will take a more strategic approach—one that targets intervention where it is most needed. This means tighter regulation where standards are weakest, effective enforcement, and working with the sector to provide animal keepers and owners with additional support where they need it.

    This animal welfare strategy has been developed in conjunction with key stakeholders including representatives of the companion, wild companion, wild animal, and farming sectors along with non-governmental organisations, and those involved in enforcement. We have held roundtable discussions on priorities while working to understand the underlying issues that lead to poor welfare. We also received input from other interested parties.

    The Government recognise that each sector and species of animal has its own needs and challenges that must be considered to ensure good welfare. As such, different approaches are required, balancing priorities, interventions, legislation and roles for different organisations.

    Key commitments in the strategy include:

    We are ending puppy farming by consulting on reforming dog breeding practices to improve health and welfare and move away from practices that lead to poor welfare and unwell animals.

    We will consider the introduction of new licences for domestic rescue and rehoming organisations to ensure rescues have the right checks in place.

    We are promoting responsible dog ownership to protect public safety, and are looking forward to seeing the recommendations from the responsible dog ownership taskforce in due course.

    We will consult on a ban on the use of electric shock collars due to the possible harm these devices cause to our pets.

    As set out in our manifesto, we will ban trail hunting and will consult shortly on how to deliver this ban.

    We will end the use of snare traps because they cause suffering to animals and can catch animals that they were not meant to, including pets and protected wildlife.

    We will consider how to introduce a close season for hares which should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, meaning that fewer young hares are left motherless and vulnerable to starvation and predation.

    We will consult on moving away from confinement systems such as colony cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs so that animals can express their normal behaviours.

    We will improve welfare for pigs at the time of killing by phasing out the use of CO2 gas stunning for pigs, which causes pain and distress, subject to a consultation.

    We will introduce humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish.

    We will work with industry to promote the use of slow growing meat chicken breeds.

    We will form a fur working group of both industry experts and stakeholders who support restrictions on the trade in fur to help us explore options for addressing concerns in this area.

    We will begin by launching two public consultations in January, on the use of cages for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers, and on lamb castration and tail docking, as the first step toward advancing these ambitious animal welfare reforms.

    Our vision is simple: we want as many animals as possible to have the highest welfare standards at every stage of their life. Together with industry, non-governmental organisations and individuals, this Government will deliver the most ambitious reforms for animal welfare in a generation, creating a legacy we can all be proud of.

  • Mary Creagh – 2026 Speech on Clearing Illegal Waste from the River Cherwell

    Mary Creagh – 2026 Speech on Clearing Illegal Waste from the River Cherwell

    The speech made by Mary Creagh, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 January 2026.

    It is lovely to be here with you again to celebrate the new year, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wish you and all colleagues in the House a very happy new year. What a shame it is that we are starting it with the trash from last year.

    As we have just celebrated Christmas and the holiday period, we will have seen our bins and recycling facilities overflowing with the Christmas excesses. We have faith in our systems that when that is taken away, it is responsibly dealt with. I therefore thank the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) for raising this important issue. I share his anger and the public’s anger about this serious crime and its impact.

    Waste crime blights our communities, as I know from my work as a constituency MP in Coventry. Waste criminals damage the environment and, in the worst cases, directly threaten our health, life and limb. These criminals also undermine legitimate businesses and deprive the Exchequer of tax income. That is why the Government are committed to tackling waste crime. We will crack down on the waste criminals and the organised crime groups who have moved into this lucrative space, and we will ensure that they are brought to justice.

    I confirm that the criminal investigation into the Kidlington site is moving forward apace. Environment Agency officials, working closely with the police, have taken samples of the waste materials on site for forensic examination. There is a lot we can divine from some of these materials as to where they originated from. Those forensic results will be available by the end of January.

    The Environment Agency is working closely alongside partners including Oxfordshire county council, the police and fire and rescue services as part of the site’s strategic co-ordinating group and tactical co-ordinating group. The strategic group has set the overall goals for this major incident, supporting the gold commander with advice, analysis and community links, while the tactical group implements those goals at the scene. The strategic group has local and operational expertise, and it has determined that the scale of the fire risk sets this case apart from the other illegal waste dumps in England.

    This location presents an overriding public imperative. That is why the Environment Agency took the exceptional decision to clear the waste and why it is working rapidly to implement a safe, systematic and focused clearance plan. It is important to stress that only two other sites have been cleared by the Environment Agency in the past five years: Hoad’s Wood, via a ministerial direction; and Twyford House in Stoke-on-Trent, where lots of flammable liquids were stored close to the west coast main line. The hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock will see some of the similarities there.

    The Environment Agency will continue to closely monitor the site while preparatory work takes place. It has informed me today that prep work will begin shortly and clearance of the waste is expected to start in February. Further timeline updates will follow from the Environment Agency. It is important that the site’s vast amount of waste is handled correctly and moved to the right facilities without causing damage to the environment. The Environment Agency is monitoring risks at the site and will respond promptly to any change in situation.

    It is important that people, whether members of the public or well-meaning journalists, do not enter the site. It is an environmental crime scene and climbing on the waste is dangerous. In doing so, people are putting themselves at risk and compromising the criminal investigation, which is a criminal offence in itself. We do not need to add extra problems to the very big one already there. There is now 24-hour surveillance in place.

    The Environment Agency’s approach and actions are always based on evidence, and with the containment and clearance, actions were taken in response to a changing risk level and the potential for a rise in the water levels. The Environment Agency was on site within days of receiving photographic evidence from a member of the public and immediately visited the site with the local authority and confirmed it as a high-risk illegal waste site. Over 80% of the waste on site was there before the Environment Agency visited on 2 July, so the vast majority happened before it was alerted. When further waste movements were reported in September, the EA swiftly obtained a restriction order in October.

    The current risk of waste entering the river is very low. A barrier has been installed at the site to prevent the waste from entering the river, to safeguard both the environment and public safety in the event of river levels rising or flooding. The Environment Agency has carried out water quality sampling of the River Cherwell to check for potential impacts of run-off or leaching from the waste. Having sampled upstream and downstream of the site, it has found no indication of pollution entering the Cherwell as a result of the waste.

    The clear-up of illegal waste sites by the Environment Agency should only be a last resort, undertaken in exceptional circumstances to protect the public and the environment. In accordance with the “polluter pays” principle, criminals who disregard the law, undercut legitimate businesses and blight communities and the environment must pay the penalty—not us as taxpayers. We do not wish to create a perverse incentive for some people to dump, or facilitate the dumping of, waste. It should be for polluters, not taxpayers, to pay the costs of clean-up.

    I acknowledge the huge frustrations about the time such an approach takes—I know that from my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee). In some cases, that can undermine public confidence or create a perception somehow that the matter is not taken seriously or tackled swiftly. As with any police investigation, there is no running commentary provided either by police, law enforcement or Ministers. I can confirm, though, that I am vigorously pursuing all avenues on this and other waste crime sites. We are committed to bearing down on the cynical waste criminals who damage our environment, harm businesses and blight our communities.

    I will go through each of the hon. Member’s questions. I request the patience of the House—Madam Deputy Speaker, feel free to cough if I go on too long. I believe we have until 7.30 pm, so strap in! The hon. Member asked how we are tackling the blight on the country caused by waste crime. We are pursuing a series of reforms that will have a lasting impact on reducing waste crime. We are bringing in reforms to the carrier, broker and dealer regimes, which will shrink the number of people who can handle waste. That is the first thing. We are changing the waste permit exemption regimes. At the moment, certain activities do not need a permit and we are shutting down those exemptions. We are also introducing digital waste tracking, which is coming in this year. These are things that I have done as a Minister that have been consulted on as far back as 2018 but have not been enacted by successive Governments. We think these three actions—this pincer movement, if you like—will be the most effective way to drive criminality away from the waste sector, because this is all about knowing the chain of custody for these materials.

    Alongside this, we have increased the Environment Agency’s budget for waste crime enforcement by over 50% this year to £15.6 million. This is the investigatory part of what the EA does, and it includes issues involving misdescribed waste, waste shipments and all the difficult business. This work is very time consuming and painstaking because it has to be done to a criminal standard of proof that will stand up in a court of law. I want to go into a bit more detail about this. These reforms were deprioritised and stalled, but under this Government they are being accelerated.

    Mandatory digital waste tracking will replace outdated methods for monitoring waste movements and unify fragmented processes. It will provide a single comprehensive view of waste types, waste quantities and waste destinations. The lack of digital record keeping in the waste industry is frequently exploited by organised criminals, who undercut legitimate businesses through mishandling waste, illegal exports and simple fly-tipping. Data in the new system will help regulators to check that waste is ending up at legitimate, licensed sites and enable the quicker investigation of illegal activity. This digital waste tracking system is being phased in this year, beginning with the introduction of a system for waste receiving sites—for example, landfills—and with planned expansion to other waste operators such as waste carriers in 2027, subject to further funding.

    Adam Jogee

    I am grateful to the Minister for sharing with the House this important step forward. We are talking about these issues going back to 2018, and it just worries me that if this had been done before, some of the issues that I have hassled her about in relation to Walleys Quarry since I was elected to this place in July 2024 could have been dealt with a lot sooner. This raises many questions about the impact on my constituents back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme under the previous Government, who were clearly missing in action. We can discuss this further outside this House.

    Mary Creagh

    I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s assiduousness on the issue of Walleys Quarry. That site is also now being run by the Environment Agency, and the risk of odour that his constituents were really grievously suffering is now extremely low, but that has come at a cost, as he rightly says.

    This is nothing new. When there is a problem and no action is taken and no new policy is created, these illegal businesses think, “Well, it’s a victimless crime, so I can carry on making money.” Then they tell their friends and, guess what, soon many flowers are blooming. But they are the wrong sort of flowers, and this creates incentives. Then of course, the legitimate businesses are like, “Hang on, why am I paying all these fees if all I need to do is buy a field, dig it up and dump stuff in it?” This creates disincentives for legitimate operators as well. I am only too aware of this. It was starting post-2016 when the then Government were focused on leaving the EU and the large international issues. I was chairing the Environmental Audit Committee at the time and I was always worried about what was going to happen to waste, including chemical waste, once we put up a border with our nearest neighbours.

    Secondly, we will reform waste management and transport. Instead of the current light-touch registration system, it will now be a permitted system. We will move on from a system that was so lax that people were able to sign up Oscar the dead dog to be a waste carrier. Activists were doing that back in 2018-19, so we have known about these problems. Anyone can falsify a bit of paper. We will introduce tougher background checks for operators and tougher penalties for those who break the law.

    We will also require vehicles that transport waste—the man with the van—to display their permit numbers on their vehicles and on their advertising, so service users can be reassured that their waste is being handled by an accredited business rather than criminals. The reform will introduce mandatory technical competence for all permit holders, meaning that anyone transporting or making decisions about waste will have to demonstrate that they are competent to do so, rather than simply just going on a register. Waste will be managed by authorised persons only and in a safe manner.

    Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)

    I am fascinated and happy to hear what is being proposed. Will it be possible for members of the public to check an online database for that permit? When somebody picks something up from a house and shows their permit, people can feel quite vulnerable. Being able to go online and check the permit against the local authority or central database would give people a lot more confidence.

    Mary Creagh

    I will get back to the hon. Member on that, if I may. The point of a digital waste tracking system is that everything is digitised. The problem has been that it is a paper-based register, so how can people check it at the moment? My understanding is that the move is to a digital system, but I will get back to her. I do not want to mislead her or the House. Perhaps Box officials can enlighten us while I go through the third reform of the waste permit exemptions.

    Thirdly, there are exemptions for three high-risk areas: end of life vehicles—that is, car scrappage—end of life tyres and scrap metal. Those exemptions have long caused problems and have been abused. We will replace them with a requirement for a full environmental permit for all those activities. We will introduce greater record keeping requirements for all waste exemption holders and impose controls on how exemptions can be managed at one site.

    At the moment, there are seven waste exemptions: construction waste, preparatory treatments, treatment of waste wood, manual treatment, burning vegetation at the place of production only—that is essentially for farmers—storage in containers and storage in a safe place. As I have mentioned, we have increased the waste crime investigation unit budget. It now has 43 full-time staff.

    People have often asked me about enabling the Environment Agency to use environmental permit income to tackle waste crime. Rules are set out by the Treasury in “Managing Public Money” about how the income raised by public bodies may be used. These rules ensure transparency to us as parliamentarians and ensure that fees and charges are not set higher than necessary to cover activity that should be properly funded from taxation. We instead look to innovative ideas, and the EA has consulted on the implementation of a 10% levy to generate a further £3.2 million of waste enforcement funding each year. That would enable a further 30% increase in enforcement activity to be targeted at activities identified by the EA as waste crime priorities. Those include tackling organised crime groups, increasing enforcement activity around specific areas of concern such as landfill sites, closing down illegal sites more quickly, using intelligence more effectively and delivering successful major criminal investigations.

    Calum Miller

    I am grateful to the Minister for such a comprehensive response. On the question of funding, the £15.6 million in the budget this year for tackling waste crime, as she said, is for the officers who engage in investigation, but it still strikes me as a small amount of money, with 43 officers for a crime that is now taking place up and down the country. Can she clarify whether the additional £5.6 million is now permanently in that budget and will be going forward such that the additional funds she has referred to for permitting will be over and above that sum? Fundamentally, does she think that this is enough?

    Mary Creagh

    My aim is not to spend further taxpayers’ money on crime; my aim is to stop it happening in the first place. All budget decisions are subject to the normal business planning, but we hope that, through our three-year spending review, we can give the Environment Agency a three-year or indicative settlement that will enable it to plan, rather than the annual process of, “Up this year, down next year,” so that there will be long-range line-of-sight planning. As I say, the EA is consulting at the moment on the additional extra revenue. If that goes through, there would be a funding uplift.

    I have the answer to the question from the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade): we are happy to confirm that it is already possible to check the online database for permits, so that is good news there.

    I have mentioned the different reforms and I think I have answered all the hon. Gentleman’s questions. I am pretty much coming to the end of my speech. On steps taken since 11 December and his specific question about the rise in water level of up to two metres, equivalent to the peak recorded at Thrupp in November ’24, the waste is within a large floodplain that can store a substantial volume of water during heavy rain. The EA has carried out more detailed flood risk assessment to understand any changes in water levels due to the illegal waste and has determined that there will not be any increased flood risk to local properties. My understanding is that sandbags and a fence are there in order to protect the river.

    The EA has also carried out regular water quality sampling of the river to check for impacts of run-off or leaching and has found no indication of pollution. If any pollutants were found in the watercourse, the action would depend on the nature and type of the pollutants found.

    On fire risk at the site, EA officials have been working with the fire and rescue service, which is leading on monitoring the temperatures of the waste and planning appropriately. The fire risk was one of the main reasons that an exceptional decision was taken to progress works to clear the site entirely.

    Analysis on how the site would be cleared, including ecology surveys, has been carried out with partners and the Environment Agency to get contracts in place as soon as possible, but we need to follow legal process to ensure that the waste is disposed of correctly. The clearance timetable is being finalised and will shortly be published on the EngagementHQ website. As I said, we hope that clearance will begin in February. Early indications and scoping indicate that full clearance will take approximately six to nine months. Where possible, we are seeking to recover our costs from those responsible in accordance with the legislation and the “polluter pays” principle, and the EA is working with the economic crime unit to target the finances of waste criminals. That unit can freeze bank accounts, seize assets and investigate cases of money laundering linked to waste crime.

    Adam Jogee

    I am grateful to the Minister for setting out so clearly how seriously she is taking this issue, which will be of continued reassurance to people back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme. In many examples, waste crime is rural crime, such as in the example from the constituency of the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) and for me back home. The Minister talks about working together—can she touch a little bit more on the importance of co-operation and partnership work with the Home Office to make sure that we are getting that right? Clearly, in many communities up and down the country, people think that they can get away with doing whatever they want in rural communities, where there are fewer people around. We have to make sure that we tighten that up quickly.

    Mary Creagh

    I agree with my hon. Friend. One of the things that I am very interested in exploring is what the playbook is. The hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock asked who such things should be reported to, and the problem is that if that is not clear, people do nothing. The most important thing when any crime is being carried out, wherever it is happening—whether that is on the Tube or wherever we see things happening—is for us as citizens to do something. That might be reporting it to the council, the local police or the Environment Agency, whose hotline is 0800 807060—I thank my officials for getting that through so that it is on the public record.

    The playbook is important. Once something has been reported, what does the local authority, the police or the EA do? What is the definition of “major site”? I have visited sites, including Watery Lane in Staffordshire, where two vanloads of fly-tipping was not classified as a major problem, and it fell to the local authority to clear it. People were locked in their homes physically unable to leave via the road—an absolutely extraordinary position for people to find themselves in. What is the playbook, what are the definitions and where do national agencies step in?

    The Environment Agency expects to fund the clearance efforts by making efficiencies in its operations, without impacting on or scaling back any other services. The EA is not funded to clear up waste sites nationally, however, and makes these types of decisions only in exceptional circumstances.

    The hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock asked about additional landfill tax revenue. The waste crime survey that the EA has carried out indicates that 20% of waste is handled illegally. His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs estimates that 23% of landfill tax is evaded, contributing to an annual waste crime cost of roughly £1 billion a year, including a £150 million landfill tax gap, which is 23% of the theoretical liability—I hope that everyone can understand that. That £1 billion a year shows that this is big business. It is a profitable and lucrative business, and we are all paying. We are paying twice, because we are losing the £1 billion and then clearing up the waste, so it is a double whammy for us—it is maddening.

    Calum Miller

    I am grateful to the Minister for setting out those figures so clearly. That was the point that I was driving at in addressing the budget for waste crime. It is not so much that I or anybody else wants to spend money dealing with criminals, but a relatively modest investment in detection and investigation could yield a higher proportion of that missing tax. We lose £1 billion every year, but a relatively modest increase in the waste crime unit’s budget, or the National Crime Agency doing more, could potentially bring in more of that revenue, which should be used for the benefit of all taxpayers.

    Mary Creagh

    I am in passionate agreement with the hon. Gentleman, as I am sure is everyone in the Chamber and watching at home. I would say, however, that big businesses use all available resources to protect their income. They are sophisticated businesses—some are registered companies—and they have their own ways of making life difficult for law enforcement. We are in a bit of a David and Goliath situation. They have been very good at doing that. This is a complex crime, and it takes a while to unravel.

    We continue to work with the Treasury on the best approach to fiscal policies to tackle and reduce waste crime. The joint unit for waste crime is a UK-wide partnership, working with the Environment Agency, HMRC, the National Crime Agency, the police and others. It shares intelligence, powers and resources to disrupt waste criminals. The unit, which was launched in 2024 and uses proceeds of crime action and asset freezes, has doubled in size thanks to our extra funding. Anyone with intelligence about waste crime can report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

    My message to our constituents around the country is that waste crime is an absolute top priority for the Government. My message to the waste criminals is we are coming for you and we are going to shut you down. My message to the legitimate waste operators is thank you for your work maintaining safe, healthy and clean environments in our towns and putting pride in our places. Let us all ensure that we work together to create a truly circular economy in which this sort of terrible crime is unthinkable and its perpetrators are put out of business.

  • Calum Miller – 2026 Speech on Clearing Illegal Waste from the River Cherwell

    Calum Miller – 2026 Speech on Clearing Illegal Waste from the River Cherwell

    The speech made by Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, in the House of Commons on 6 January 2026.

    It is my privilege to represent a beautiful part of England’s countryside. Stretching from the Chilterns in the east to the Cotswolds in the west, it is criss-crossed by a network of rivers that define the geography of the area. The largest of these is the River Cherwell, which flows from its origin in Northamptonshire for about 40 miles south, where it joins the Thames in Oxford. My constituency also hosts two major highways: the M40 and the A34. It is the proximity of the A34 to the River Cherwell that created both the setting and the opportunity for a major environmental crime to be committed.

    In late October, I was knocking on doors in Kidlington when a conversation opened my eyes. The resident—not particularly interested in politics—was ready to close the door when he said, “Actually, my housemate Billy might want to talk to you.” He shouted upstairs and Billy came down. Billy Burnell is a local angler who knows the River Cherwell inside out. He showed me photos and videos of a vast waste dump beside the river. This was not fly-tipping—it was industrial-scale organised criminal dumping.

    It quickly became clear that this was not new. Billy and others had been raising concerns for months. The Environment Agency had visited the site on 2 July with local council officers and determined it was a major incident, which the EA took responsibility for addressing. Yet local anglers, farmers and residents saw dumping continue through the summer.

    What emerged was staggering: around 20,000 tonnes of waste had been dumped illegally on a floodplain beside the River Cherwell, close to the A34. You had to see it to believe it—and many people did, thanks to media coverage that went viral due to its shocking nature. This mountain of waste was one of the most serious cases of criminal dumping anywhere in the country.

    We quickly had an energetic response from local councillors like Laura Gordon and Gemma Coton, and campaigners stepped up too. Environmental groups including Friends of the Thames helped to amplify the concerns across Oxfordshire and nationally. Around Kidlington, a parliamentary petition gathered nearly 1,000 signatures, which I presented here on 9 December following a series of interventions: my oral question to the Minister on 13 November, my urgent question on 17 November, the question of my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey) to the Prime Minister on 19 November and my meeting with the Minister on 2 December. I thank the Minister for her engagement with this issue from the start and for her work with officials to ensure that the risks were identified and managed.

    Locally, following my initial question and the media coverage that followed, the Environment Agency convened key partners from councils and emergency services to develop a strategy for the site. The agency confirmed last month that it will take the exceptional step of clearing the site itself, citing serious fire and public safety risks. This is highly unusual and entirely reflective of the sheer amount of effort and support local councillors, campaigners and activists put in to raise the alarm. It should never have been allowed to reach this scale, but this decision shows what determined local people, backed by political pressure, can achieve.

    We come now to the situation today. The River Cherwell is, thankfully, not high by its winter standards, yet it still laps against the sandbags and fencing installed by the Environment Agency. Water testing has, thankfully, not shown any significant increase in chemical pollutants downstream from the site. I am truly grateful that we appear to be averting environmental catastrophe—for now. However, now that the winter trees have shed their leaves and revealed the scale of the illegal waste site, it is visible to my constituents and is a constant reminder of the damage already done and the risks ahead.

    My constituents continue to ask what is being done to avert the environmental disaster of the waste contaminating the River Cherwell, and I have some questions to ask the Minister on their behalf. Have the measures to contain the waste been designed to cope with a rise in water levels equivalent to a further 2 metres—the peak recorded at the nearest EA measuring station at Thrupp in November 2024? What actions will be taken by the Environment Agency if water testing reveals that chemical pollutants are leaching into the River Cherwell? What steps have been taken to reduce the risk of fire at the site? The December decision to clear the site was warmly welcomed by all the campaigners who had fought for it, yet the factor that led the Environment Agency to authorise the clearance—the risk of fire from combustible and decomposing waste—remains.

    Local people remain angry that criminals did this to our countryside and deeply frustrated that more than six months after the site was first visited by the Environment Agency, the waste is still there. The key question that my constituents continue to ask is: when will the waste be removed?

    On 11 December, a press release from the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that

    “preparatory works for clearance will begin imminently. Further details on the timeframe for clearance will be set out shortly.”

    To the best of my knowledge, no physical preparatory works have commenced, and the timeframe for clearance has not been set out. I therefore ask the Minister to tell my constituents the following. What steps have been taken since 11 December? When will a timetable for clearance be published? When will the first lorry remove waste from the site? When does she estimate the site will finally be cleared?

    Finally, my constituents are concerned about who will bear the cost for this clear-up, so can the Minister confirm that all efforts are being made to identify the criminals responsible and recover costs from them, and that in the meantime the Environment Agency will meet the cost of clearance and that it will not fall to local taxpayers? Can she further confirm whether she has an estimate of what the total cost will be?

    Since news broke of the illegal waste dump in Kidlington, there has been concerted media focus on the scandal of industrial-scale, criminal waste dumping up and down the country. Like many people, I had no idea it was so widespread. I have been shocked to learn of how many communities are afflicted by it. Research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats in December indicated that 20% of UK adults have witnessed large-scale illegal dumping in their own local areas, and three in five of those say that the problem has got worse in the last year. This is truly an epidemic of criminal activity that damages our natural spaces and harms the lives of local residents.

    People who play by the rules—who dispose of their own litter carefully and take their household waste to council-run tips—are rightly appalled that gangs are doing this and, too often, getting away with it. I know that it is less of a surprise to the Minister, who has been working on these issues for some time. She will know that the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, led by my noble Friend Baroness Sheehan, has been critical of the Government’s response to its inquiry and recommendations of October 2025. I do not intend to cover those points extensively, but I want to highlight three that directly reflect the experience in my constituency.

    First, we need to make it easier for people to report waste crime. In this case, constituents told me that they had suspicions and even evidence in the form of number plates or a description of unusual activity, but did not know what to do with it. Should they call the council, the police, the Environment Agency? They did not know, and that stopped them from acting. Early detection of sites is key to stopping the criminals before they get started, and we should make it as easy as possible for people to report concerns. Will the Minister look again at creating a single national hotline for reporting waste crime?

    Secondly, it is clear that the Environment Agency is grossly under-resourced to tackle waste crime. When I first raised this case in the House with the Minister on 13 November, she said that the budget for waste crime enforcement had been increased by 50% this year. That took the budget to £15.6 million, yet as this case shows, the costs of clearance can be close to that full amount. At the same time, the Treasury received £486 million in revenue from landfill tax in 2004-05. Have the Government conducted an assessment of how much additional landfill tax revenue is generated for each pound spent on tackling waste crime? Has DEFRA pressed the Treasury to allocate a larger share of the revenue from landfill tax to the waste crime budget? Given the Government’s response to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, can the Minister set out a clear timetable for the publication of the revised national metrics on waste crime and confirm whether interim reporting will be put in place while those indicators are developed?

    Thirdly, in this case it is clear that the Environment Agency prioritised investigating the crime over protecting the site by containing the waste on it. Between 2 July and 15 October, the joint unit for waste crime worked to establish who the landowner was and collected evidence about the crimes. I am glad that that led to an arrest last year. However, nothing was done to anticipate the risks to the site, either from waste entering the River Cherwell or fire hazard. It was only after my question to the Minister on 13 November that work began to put in barriers to prevent the waste entering the Cherwell.

    I want to be clear: the EA has worked swiftly since November to prevent further environmental damage, and working with other local partners it identified the risks of the site, which led to the decision to remove all the waste from it. My concern is that, perhaps for financial reasons, in this case the EA prioritised investigation ahead of early protective action on the site. Does the Minister think that the EA should reassess the balance between investigation and environmental protection when it identifies sites? Is the Minister satisfied that the EA has the resources and expertise to tackle serious organised criminals who are committing waste crimes, or should the National Crime Agency take over major investigations?

    Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)

    I did not realise that the A34 goes through the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, as it does mine—we will have to do a road trip some time. I congratulate him on his excellent speech. The Minister will not be surprised to see me here, because in Newcastle-under-Lyme we lived with the very worst example of waste crime and profit over people that was Walleys Quarry. We have just marked a year since the landfill site was closed and the cowboy operators driven out of town. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we need a stand-alone strategy for waste crime and that we need it quickly?

    Calum Miller

    I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. Perhaps we can look forward to joining up on the A34 at some point. I agree that we need an approach that is truly national and truly strategic. What I have witnessed in my constituency is a piecemeal approach, with best efforts by an under-resourced agency unable to join the dots and, despite the hard work of many people within that agency, a failure to conduct, on the one hand, the investigation and, on the other hand, the preventive measures. It is clear that the estimates of the scale of the criminal activity justify a robust and fulsome national strategy. I agree with him and hope that the Minister will respond to his question.

    Strange as it may seem, my constituents and I have been lucky, in so much as this site met the narrow criteria for exceptional intervention. Many communities up and down the country, such as the one just cited, also face the blight of criminal waste dumping yet do not have exceptional circumstances that allow the EA, under the current resourcing and rules, to clear their sites. The site chosen by criminals to dump waste in my constituency suited them as it had easy, undetected access to the A34, but its very proximity to the A34 became the reason that exceptional action has now been approved to remove the waste.

    What has struck me most about this toxic crime is how strongly people feel it is wrong. It is wrong to be so arrogant as to despoil our beautiful countryside; wrong that too many people get away with it and that the penalties are not higher; and wrong that it takes too long to clear up these sites. When Billy told me about the site, I vowed that I would work to see the waste contained and then cleared. I am glad that that is happening now, and I hope the Minister will confirm that it will be delivered with urgency.

    When I learned how widespread the issue was, I vowed to work with all those like the Minister who care deeply about it to ensure that we make real progress in stopping this crime from blighting so many communities. I look forward to continuing that work with colleagues across the House.

  • Dan Tomlinson – 2026 Statement on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief

    Dan Tomlinson – 2026 Statement on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief

    The statement made by Dan Tomlinson, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, in the House of Commons on 5 January 2026.

    I thank the shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for asking this question. I wish a happy new year to her and to all Members of the House.

    The reforms announced in December go further to protect more farms and businesses while maintaining the core principle that more valuable agricultural and business assets should not receive unlimited relief.

    The allowance for the 100% rate of relief for agricultural property relief and business property relief will be increased from £1 million to £2.5 million when it is introduced in April. That means that a couple will now be able to pass on up to £5 million of agricultural or business assets tax-free between them, on top of the existing allowances such as the nil rate band. Taken together with the reform announced at the recent Budget, widows and widowers will benefit from up to £2.5 million of their spouse’s allowance, even if their spouse passed away many years ago.

    Our changes further reduce the number of estates forecast to pay more inheritance tax, and they further reduce the liability for many of the remaining estates. Compared with Budget 2025, the number of estates claiming APR—including those also claiming BPR—affected by the reforms in the coming tax year is expected to halve, from what would have been 375 estates to just 185 estates. That means that around 85% of estates claiming agricultural property relief in 2026-27 are forecast to pay no more inheritance tax on their estates under the changes.

    The Government have announced these changes after listening carefully to feedback from the farming community and family businesses, and I am pleased that the National Farmers’ Union and others have welcomed the changes. Even after the reforms, the Government expect to raise around £300 million in 2029-30 from our changes to these tax reliefs. We are making fair and responsible choices to support the farming community, with a record £11.8 billion investment in sustainable farming and food production over this Parliament, and to modernise our tax system for the future.

  • Philip Duffy – 2025 Statement on Cleaning Up Kidlington Waste Dump

    Philip Duffy – 2025 Statement on Cleaning Up Kidlington Waste Dump

    The statement made by Philip Duffy, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, on 11 December 2025.

    The brazen criminality at Kidlington has appalled all of us at the Environment Agency. Our local teams have been at this site working with partners to reduce harm and minimise risks while we pursue those responsible.

    This week, new information on the risk of fire was received from the Fire and Rescue Services and the Police and a decision made to clear the site as soon as possible on a wholly exceptional basis. The EA and our local partners are now working through the most effective way to manage this work.

    We will update the public on progress with that as soon as we are able. We are determined that waste criminals will see justice for this serious offending.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2025 Good Food Cycle Speech

    Daniel Zeichner – 2025 Good Food Cycle Speech

    The speech made by Daniel Zeichner, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in Bradford on 15 July 2025.

    Well, good afternoon everybody and thank you. First of all, thank you to Andrew, and to all our brilliant contributors – really fantastic.

    Politicians often say they’re really pleased to be in places. And I am pleased to be in places – but I have been really thrilled to be here. I’ve not been to Bradford before, and I’ve been absolutely knocked out by what I’ve seen this morning. I’m so pleased to be here.

    I’m told you’re one of the UK’s youngest, most diverse, and dynamic cities. I represent Cambridge, and we probably could have a little discussion about that – but I think you may be winning! What I know for sure is that you’ve got a rich food culture here. I’ve been seeing it outside, I’ve been hearing about it, and I’m so thrilled that we made the decision that Bradford should be the place to come and talk about the government’s vision for our food system. What we’re calling the Good Food Cycle.

    And I hope that’s a phrase that will stick in your minds – because that’s what this is all about.

    Let me start, though, by thanking some of the people who’ve made this morning possible: Bradford 2025, the local council – I’m delighted to be here working with you – and Inn Churches. Very impressed by the work you’re doing.

    I’ve heard about Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, I’ve seen some of the demonstrations that are being done outside with some of the children – I’ve met some of the children – who are extraordinarily confident and well-informed about raw beans! Very good for them!

    Living Well, the wider community, all the efforts being made to empower, educate, and inspire as many people as possible to cook great-tasting, healthy food for themselves and their families. I think this project here, which I’ve been hearing about – clearly a long time in the making – what a fantastic achievement in this year of 2025.

    It really does show how communities, local government, food producers and processors can work together for the community. Because it shows that good, healthy food can be accessible to everyone, and help bring communities together.

    And just in my brief tour around, I could see how that’s being brought to life.

    I’m told it’s £31 million of investment into the heart of Bradford – it shows what can be done to support local food producers, what you’re making, and how we used to have those strong local food production systems. What a chance to re-energise that!

    But of course, this sits in a wider context – one that includes household-name food businesses with a national footprint, like Morrisons, like Marks and Spencer. They all play a part in our national food system.

    And let’s pay tribute to that national food system, because it is one of the most extraordinary and advanced in the world. Huge, huge things. I remember, I was the shadow minister during the Covid crisis, and there was a point where it wasn’t entirely clear that we could carry on feeding the nation. But people stepped up. And it really showed what an amazing system this is.

    But we also have to be aware that the current food system does have some challenges.

    Henry Dimbleby – a lot of you will be aware – did a lot of work a few years ago on this. He called it the junk food cycle. Which, at one level, is harsh. But what he was pointing out was that there are internal dynamics within the system that keep producing negative feedback loops.

    That’s the thing we want to address.

    I think it can be addressed. I think there are many people in this room who have been working on this for many, many years. But it’s possible to do something about it. To do it differently.

    And that’s why I’ve come here today – to launch what we’re calling the Good Food Cycle. We think it’s a really significant step in the change we want to take together.

    And I think this is actually a very special moment because it’s the first time, as far as I can see, that the whole of government is aligned on a vision for the food system, looking ahead to the future. And it’s one which puts people and the planet at its heart.

    Now, we haven’t done this alone. This is not just about government. We’ve worked across the food system.

    Sarah [Bradbury, IGD CEO] has been saying this – and our colleagues involved in the systems process have told us too – we’ve worked with industry, trying to do what only government can do: convene and coordinate action on food.

    And the reason we’re doing this is not just because it’s a good thing to do – it’s because what we’re hearing from people, right across the country, across generations and communities, is that this is really, really important.

    Because the one thing we all do – is eat. And we should take joy and celebration in that. It’s really important.

    So, over the last six months – in the early part of this government – we’ve spoken to over 400 individuals. That’s been coordinated through the process – thank you to everyone who helped make that happen.

    We’ve heard from organisations, from businesses. We’ve been asking the question: What would a good food system look like?

    I’m very grateful to the people who’ve been sitting on the Food Strategy Advisory Board – some of you may have read about that – Sarah has been providing the secretariat and more; keeping together a complicated group of people with very different views, but we’re working well together – and the Systems Advisory Council. Also, the F4 – that’s the grouping of the key parts of industry. All of them have been involved in this discussion. So many people from academia as well – I see leading academic figures locally.

    All have given time and effort to help us develop what we believe is a shared vision.

    [Political line removed]

    Well, I’m absolutely determined, as the food minister, that we will not make that mistake.

    We will listen. We’ll work alongside those in the food system who make key decisions – and also those who play key roles in that system. Whether that’s a supermarket boss, or someone who’s making the Sunday lunch. Or someone working in a shop.

    All those people are going to be involved in this discussion.

    This is a vision for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable, and resilient 21st-century UK food system that grows the economy, feeds the nation, nourishes people, and protects the environment and climate – now and in the future.

    So, for the next steps to make our Good Food Cycle vision a reality, we’ve identified ten priority outcomes that we’ll be working with people to deliver.

    Those outcomes are focused on:

    • Ensuring everyone has access to healthier and more affordable food
    • Creating the conditions for a thriving and growing food sector, with more investment in healthy, sustainable, affordable food
    • Ensuring a secure, sustainable and resilient food supply
    • Building on vibrant local food cultures – like we’ve seen here in Bradford

    We know there’s a huge prize for investing in the UK food system, which is why we are focused on creating the right conditions to bring money and talent into the UK food system.

    Because when we grow, make, and sell healthy food, frankly, everyone benefits.

    Now, the cost of healthy food is a key concern for working people across the country. And we’re focused on food and nutritional security, from a household to a national level.

    One way to support a secure and more resilient food system is to enhance our food security monitoring – in response to continued volatility from geopolitical and climate shocks.

    It’s critical that this information is transparent and available to people across the food system.

    Today I am committing to a new annual food security statistics publication to be published in the years between the triennial UK Food Security Report, starting this year.

    It will be a more frequent and focused publication, designed to ensure that key UK food security analysis is made public in order to capture emerging trends, and to support both policymakers and the public.

    That’s a government step we’re announcing today – to ensure we continue to support a more secure food supply chain in this country, so we can build a stronger future.

    I believe now is the time to act and make positive change to support our nation. Because with climate, health, and economic pressures growing, we stand to lose out if we don’t act now. Action on improving the food system isn’t just for national government – frankly, it’s for all of us.

    So, I’d like to say just a little bit about what I’ve heard is happening here in Bradford – and I hope you’ll find it as inspirational as I do.

    I understand that in February of this year, the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, in collaboration with others, unveiled over 30 innovative projects as part of its Creative Health programme, harnessing the transformative power of culture and creativity to tackle some of the district’s most urgent health and social challenges.

    And we’re already seeing great outcomes from this work.

    The Cookery School, run by Inn Churches in this Market, in partnership with Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food,  teaches children and adults how to make healthy, fresh, tasty meals from scratch for themselves and their families.

    Living Well is an initiative led by Bradford Council Public Health, the NHS Bradford and Craven Health and Care Partnership and a wide range of key stakeholders and community groups. They are helping to address the rising levels of obesity and reduce the high levels of early and preventable deaths within the district.

    I’d like to thank the initiatives leaders, the Bradford Council and Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership for all their hard work in helping individuals to live well.

    This government wants to work across the food system to make the healthy choice the easy choice for people in Bradford and across the country.

    But a healthy food system is not only about what we eat, it is also about how our food is produced and the impact it has on the environment.

    When we come together to eat – we are sharing in something incredibly powerful. Culture.

    Which brings me back to why I am here in Bradford today. Culture and Community are closely interlinked. Communities build culture. This building is the site of a shift in culture. One which is about connecting people with their local food producers, as well as supporting them to have the skills to use this amazing bounty of British ingredients.

    Everyone should be able to take pride and joy in what they grow and eat. And we want local producers to grow more of what we eat and communities to eat more of what we grow.

    This Government is here to enable, protect and prepare. Enable health, growth and productivity. Protect food standards. Prepare for the impacts of a more extreme weather and more volatile world.

    This is a cross-government strategy, and we will work collaboratively to ensure we take the right steps to address the needs of the nation.

    This is a milestone in our commitment to transform the food system. So today, we set out what we want to achieve, and why it’s important.

    Now and in the future, we’ll work with citizens, with civil society, with farmers, with fishers, with food businesses to agree how to reach that vision, and how we will measure our progress.

    If we can replicate some of the energy and commitment I have seen today and enable the growth of other Darley Street markets in other towns across the country; enable every class of school children to enjoy healthy, delicious food; enable investment in responsible food businesses , we will be well on our way.

    Friends, together we can make the healthy, sustainable choice the easy and obvious one – for everyone. Together, we can create the Good Food Cycle.

  • Steve Reed – 2025 Speech at the Water UK Skills Summit

    Steve Reed – 2025 Speech at the Water UK Skills Summit

    The speech made by Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London on 15 July 2025.

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems.

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

    And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

  • Ed Miliband – 2025 Speech at Global Offshore Wind Conference

    Ed Miliband – 2025 Speech at Global Offshore Wind Conference

    The speech made by Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, at the ExCel Centre in London on 17 June 2025.

    Thank you, Jane [Cooper]. I just want to say how brilliant it is to be here today, it’s a real privilege. I read my old speech from a year ago, about 15 days before the general election, and it holds up reasonably well to history.

    I felt an incredible sense of excitement back then about having a chance to be Secretary of State, and today I feel an incredible sense of privilege. One of the reasons I feel that sense of privilege is because of all of you, because of the incredibly inspiring things you are doing for energy security, for jobs, around the country, and to tackle the climate crisis.

    I also want to pay tribute to Jane, you are doing an absolutely brilliant job championing this industry – you and the RenewableUK team are truly outstanding.

    Can I say at the same time we are delighted to have secured our superstar signing Dan McGrail as interim CEO of Great British Energy – it’s fantastic to have him and Juergen Maier both here, as well as my colleague Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy who many of you will have met and is doing an absolutely brilliant job, and it’s a privilege to work alongside.

    As I walked into the conference today and saw the banner ‘Mission: Possible’, I felt a real sense of excitement.

    Because when I look around the exhibition hall and this room, I feel that overwhelming sense of possibility, as the slogan suggests.

    Huge economic and industrial opportunities for Britain, huge chances to transform our country. Challenges of course, but as I say I am incredibly proud of this industry, and for 5 years we have worked together on a shared agenda.

    For energy security, lower bills, good jobs and climate.

    I think it is an inspiring and exciting vision of a new era of clean energy abundance for Britain, getting off the rollercoaster of fossil fuels – and we’re reminded by geo-political events all the time how important that is.

    And at the Spending Review last week we committed to the most significant programme of investment in homegrown clean energy in the UK’s history.

    On Tuesday, we announced the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation, creating jobs in Suffolk, Nottinghamshire and across the UK.

    On Thursday, investment in kickstarting carbon capture in Aberdeenshire and the Humber.

    On Friday, half a billion pounds of funding for Britain’s first hydrogen network to help drive industrial renewal.

    And today we go further with a genuinely transformative package of investment in offshore wind supply chains and jobs.

    I truly believe we are witnessing the coming of age of Britain’s green industrial revolution as we build this new era.

    I think it demonstrates above all what an active and strategic government working in the closest partnership with industry can achieve.

    So I want to talk today about the clarity of mission we’re seeking to provide, the way we’re breaking down the barriers to success – barriers you talked a lot with us about when in opposition – the role of catalytic public investment – which is partly about the announcement I’m making today – and then a bit about what I would ask from you as an industry.

    First, I know it has been a tough time for the industry.

    Offshore wind is not immune from the global economic challenges we have seen in the last few years, many of which remain present today.

    My response and my responsibility is to ensure that you have the clarity and certainty you need to make future investment decisions, because I know the biggest enemy of investment is uncertainty.

    We want Britain to be a safe haven for investment.

    That is why from day one we have offered a clear sense of direction, with our goals to deliver clean power by 2030 and accelerate to net zero across the economy.

    Just 6 months after we came to office we published our 2030 Clean Power Action Plan.

    Setting out for the first time the different pathways for deployment of different technologies.

    Offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, nuclear, batteries, hydrogen, CCUS.

    To give developers and investors clarity about the direction of travel.

    When we came to office we also took decisions around AR6 to make it a record-breaking auction.

    But we have also listened hard to the industry about how we can improve the auction process – particularly for fixed and floating offshore wind.

    And we will shortly confirm key decisions for the AR7 auction. I want to say to you very clearly, as far as that decision is concerned and all other decisions, my overriding priority is to give you confidence and certainty because I know these are essential ingredients for you to make the long-term investments we need.

    Second, for years clean energy projects have been held back by barriers and blockages.

    You told us we needed to deal with them.

    So over the last 11 months, that’s what we have gone about doing.

    On planning, we lifted the onshore wind ban within 72 hours of coming to office.

    We’ve introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill – the biggest reform of planning in a generation.

    And we’ve sped up planning decisions, including consenting enough clean energy to power the equivalent of almost 2 million homes.

    On grid, we’ve ended the first come first served connections queue which wasn’t serving our country well, prioritising the power projects we need.

    And we’ve brought forward plans to ensure communities benefit from hosting clean energy infrastructure.

    We’re also working with Defra on improving environmental consenting.

    On radar, we’ve worked with the Ministry of Defence to resolve funding issues that have plagued this sector for years.

    On skills, we’ve backed industry’s skills passport for oil and gas workers.

    And set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to ensure we have the skilled workforce we need and to do that planning with our colleagues at the Department for Education.

    In addressing these long-standing issues, we are trying to break down those barriers, which again get in the way of your investment and try to make progress step by step and demonstrating each day what a mission driven government means.

    My observation from the first 11 months in office is having this as one of the Prime Minister’s 5 missions makes all the difference in driving through Whitehall and working with others.

    Third, alongside clarity, certainty and breaking down the barriers we are delivering catalytic public investment to secure jobs and supply chains as part of our long-term industrial strategy.

    This is the right choice for Britain because we want those jobs, it’s also the right choice for our energy security and resilience – and the right long-term way I believe to deal with some of the pressures the industry faces.

    I think it’s fair to say we know that for too long governments have not focused enough on ensuring our success in offshore wind generation leads to the jobs our country needs.

    This government is different.

    There is a global race for these jobs, and we are determined to create them in Britain.

    You told us public investment could unlock funding from the private sector – and you’re right.

    With Great British Energy that is what we are committed to do.

    And today we are announcing a truly historic partnership between public and private investors.

    Hundreds of millions of public funding from Great British Energy crowding in many hundreds of millions more from the offshore wind industry and The Crown Estate.

    Enabling us to today announce a total of £1 billion of supply chain funding to bring offshore wind jobs to Britain.

    It’s designed, this fund, to turbocharge the brilliant work of the sector’s Industrial Growth Plan to invest in ports and factories, so we make turbine towers, blades, foundations and cables here in the UK.

    Helping to drive the clean energy rollout at home and capture a growing export market abroad – including seizing the opportunities of being an early mover in floating offshore wind.

    And this is just the start, with Great British Energy bringing together a wider group of public and private investors to build our offshore wind supply chains and I am incredibly excited about the work that Juergen and Dan are doing at GBE.

    Today I can also confirm we have released the results of the first Clean Industry Bonus round.

    Again here, you told us that the private sector would step up, if we showed the importance of building supply chains here in the UK, and again you were right.

    We were delighted by the response of developers to this scheme.

    Showing that when government leads with ambition, industry is ready to match it.

    We calculate that every pound of public money could unlock up to £17 of private investment.

    The Clean Industry Bonus unleashing the potential of billions of private investment in factories and ports from the North East to East Anglia to Scotland.

    When we talk about catalytic investment, this is what we mean.

    Public investment crowding in, not crowding out, the private capital we need.

    And giving you the confidence to build a long-term industrial base for Britain.

    So look, these are some of the steps we’re taking. Government doesn’t get everything right, but what we are seeking to do is deliver on the promises we made to you in opposition about how we can work together – a true partnership.

    Now often the industry asks me, how can we help you to deliver this mission? Let me just give you a few thoughts on that.

    On jobs, you have a crucial role in reversing decades of failure to invest in our industrial communities and creating a new generation of good jobs at decent wages.

    You have shown your commitment to building supply chains in Britain.

    And my ask of you is to ensure you deliver the 95,000 jobs this industry says it could support in the UK by the end of the decade.

    On trade unions, there is important work on union recognition in some renewables companies.

    But I want to be clear: this government considers trade unions as an essential part of a modern workplace and economy.

    So I ask you to recognise the huge value of partnering with trade unions in all parts of the industry.

    And finally, I would say this:

    I am one of your biggest champions because I know that this mission is the route to building a more secure energy system that can bring down bills for good.

    As we consider the multiple pathways to clean power, my mandate to Chris Stark as head of our 2030 Mission Control, is to deliver at least cost to billpayers and taxpayers and the most economic benefit to the country.

    So in AR7, AR8, AR9 and beyond, value for money for billpayers is our priority, recognising that while the market needs to make a return, we also need to deliver a fair price for consumers.

    Once again, this must be a partnership between us.

    We are doing everything we can, as I have set out, to help the industry continue its strong record in bringing down costs.

    And I urge you to continue to drive forward with innovation and competition to deliver for the country.

    Let me end with this before we get into questions.

    I think over the last 11 months we have shown that Britain is back in the race for the jobs and industries of the future.

    And above all we have shown one thing fundamentally, which is we are serious about delivering. When we said it, we meant it. When we said becoming a clean energy superpower would become one of the Prime Minister’s 5 missions, we meant it. I have my regular meetings with the Prime Minister about this issue and he is incredibly inspired by what you are delivering.

    What we’re seeking to do is have a plan to deliver.

    Clear and consistent leadership.

    Breaking down the barriers.

    Catalytic public investment.

    A true partnership between government, trade unions and industry.

    We believe this is how we build the age of clean energy abundance.

    This is how we boost our energy independence and bring down bills for families and businesses.

    This is how we seize the economic and industrial opportunity of our time.

    And this is how we face up to the greatest long-term challenge we face as a country and as a world, the climate crisis.

    My final thought is this: of course, the industry faces challenges that I am aware of. Nobody believed this was going to be easy, the kind of transformation we are talking about in our economy and in our energy system.

    The thing I feel above all, after 11 months in this role, is more of a sense of optimism about what we can achieve together, more of a sense of optimism that this is the right path for energy security, more of a sense of optimism that this can be the jobs driver of the 21st century for our country.

    Going round the country, there’s nothing more inspiring than seeing those jobs being created and the opportunity for young people doing apprenticeships and being part of this industry.

    I am more certain than ever this is the right path to tackle the biggest long-term threat to humanity, the climate crisis.

    Thank you so much for what you do for our country, thank you so much for your partnership with government.

    And I look forward to continuing to work together to do great things in the months and years ahead.

    Thank you.

  • Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech on Thames Water

    Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech on Thames Water

    The speech made by Victoria Atkins, the Shadow Environment Minister, in the House of Commons on 3 June 2025.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question. May I begin by correcting the Secretary of State? When he refers to private sector investment, he is in fact referring to the bill increases that each and every one of us will pay—£31 a year—so when he talks about private sector investment, he means bill payers’ investment.

    Some 16 million residents and bill payers will have been concerned by this morning’s news that the private equity firm KKR has pulled out of its rescue deal with Thames Water. According to a source close to KKR, one of the reasons it pulled out was its concern about negative rhetoric directed at Thames Water and the rest of the industry in recent weeks by the Secretary of State and other Ministers. In other words, the Secretary of State and his Ministers have talked themselves out of this rescue deal. I am bound to say, if only they could do the same thing with the Chagos islands deal.

    On which date did the Secretary of State discover that KKR was thinking of pulling out of this deal, and what involvement did he have in the phone calls over the weekend between KKR and No. 10 spads to try to rescue it? I ask because in recent weeks there have been briefings to the press that he is considering temporary renationalisation. The Treasury has apparently instructed him that he will need to find up to £4 billion from the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to cover the cost of this manoeuvre. Let me put that in context: the entire farming budget for this year is roughly £2.5 billion.

    Can the Secretary of State therefore explain the options to which he has just referred, and do they include a plan for temporary renationalisation? From which budget would a temporary renationalisation come: DEFRA or central funds? That question is particularly relevant in view of the upcoming spending review, on which there has been detailed briefing, including the suggestion that the DEFRA budget is to be slashed.

    The Secretary of State referred to the Cunliffe report, which we will of course look at very carefully, but can he confirm—this recalls yesterday’s shambolic defence review announcement—that there is no funding for this latest review, and that it will do nothing to resolve the immediate issue of Thames Water’s solvency, which he has mishandled, just as he has mishandled the family farm tax, the fishing industry and the sustainable farming incentive?

    Steve Reed

    I am grateful to the shadow Secretary of State for making it clear to the House that she does not understand the principles of private sector investment, and neither is it particularly clever to stand at the Opposition Dispatch Box and make up figures to attack.

    This Government stand ready for all eventualities, but I will make no apology for tackling the poor behaviour of water companies and water company executives that took place under the previous Government and that we are correcting. We even heard stories, which have been confirmed to me by water companies, of previous Conservative Secretaries of State shouting and screaming at water company bosses but not actually changing the law to do anything about the bonuses that they were able to pay themselves. This Government are taking action, working with customers, water companies and investors to ensure that we have a successful water sector that works for the environment, customers and investors in a way that it completely failed to do under the previous Conservative Government.