Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 March 2025.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed will today (Monday 10 March) set out government ambition to end sewage discharged into Windermere.

• The Government has pledged to work with local partners to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake including treatment facilities and storm overflows.
• Environment Secretary Steve Reed will today meet with local campaigners to pledge his support to cleaning up the iconic site.
• Visit marks start of Ministers’ week-long tour as part of government’s Plan for Change to upgrade our crumbling water infrastructure and boost economic growth using over £100 billion private investment.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed will today (Monday 10 March) pledge to ‘clean up Windermere’ setting out the Government’s support for the long-term ambition of ‘only rainwater’ entering England’s largest lake.

This comes ahead of a thorough feasibility study – established by the ‘Only Rainwater’ local coalition including United Utilities, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Save Windermere, Love Windermere, the Lake District National Park authority, and Westmorland and Furness Council. The study will determine what would be needed to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake, drawing on successful examples and innovation from around the world to create a roadmap for delivery.

As a first step, government is working on new methods to reduce pollution from private sewage discharges into Windermere. Along with new treatment plants and enhanced maintenance, the government is supporting the delivery of First-Time Sewerage schemes which provide a mechanism for owners of septic tanks and package treatment works to request connection to the mains sewer under certain conditions. This will be vital in consolidating the wastewater infrastructure in the catchment, enabling our long-term objective.

The Environment Secretary will also reiterate his support for local action and regulation to protect and improve water quality, including 33 additional Environment Agency specialist officers in the region and a quadrupling of water company inspections.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

Windermere is a stunningly beautiful national treasure – but it’s being choked by unacceptable levels of sewage pollution.

As part of our Plan for Change, the Government is committed to cleaning up this iconic lake.

That is why we are working with a range of local groups and organisations to stop all sewage going into the lake and restore it to its natural beauty.

The action forms part of this government’s work to transform the water sector and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. This includes the Water (Special Measures) Act that will create a level playing field through stronger regulation alongside securing £104 billion of private sector investment to upgrade our crumbling infrastructure, boost economic growth and create thousands of good, well-paid jobs right across the country.

Following approval by Ofwat last year, United Utilities are investing £200 million to upgrade 9 wastewater treatment works at Windermere and reduce the spills from all 6 storm overflows discharging into the lake to 10 per year by 2030. Across the country, over £100 billion of private sector money will be invested into the water sector – the largest investment into water in history.  This will help to upgrade and build new water infrastructure in every region of the country with sewage pipes, water treatment works and nine reservoirs, supporting 1.5 million new homes, 150 major infrastructure projects and power new industries such as gigafactories and data centres.

This vital investment is a good start – but in the face of climate change, we must go further and faster to protect precious natural assets like Windermere, which is why government is backing the ambition to eliminate sewage discharges into the lake.

Windermere, part of the Lake District National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to more than 14,000 people and its beautiful scenery, rare species and cultural heritage attract a further 7 million visitors per year, generating £750 million for the local economy. The lake faces pollution from a range of sources including rural and urban land use, wastewater from United Utilities and private sewage treatment – issues that are being made worse by climate change.

The Environment Secretary’s visit to Windermere is the first of seven visits that he and Water Minister Emma Hardy will make on a ‘Things Can Only Get Cleaner’ tour this week, to see where investment in water infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create jobs and turbocharge local economies – a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change.

The government also confirmed today that locally led schemes to clean up waterways are set to receive up to £11m, with money based on water company fines and penalties ringfenced to deliver local water projects. Applicants to the Water Restoration Fund, including some in the Lake District, will be notified today. Successful projects will begin this year and focus on improving the water environment in the same regions where the fines and penalties were issued. This could include projects to restore waters to good ecological status; support biodiversity in water-dependent habitats and build resilience to climate change.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 March 2025.

Import ban introduced to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease.

The government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD), following a confirmed case in Hungary.

The Government has acted immediately to prevent the commercial import from Hungary and Slovakia of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other non- domestic ruminants and porcines such as deer and their untreated products, such as fresh meat and dairy. This will protect farmers and their livestock.

The case has been found on a cattle farm in the North West of Hungary, near the border with Slovakia. Observed clinical signs were reported to national authorities who have now formally confirmed infection with FMD following testing.

Action is already underway with local authorities and traders to address possible risks from goods on the way to GB. Such goods must be pre-notified and wider border systems in place will prevent consignments entering GB. This is in addition to restrictions already in place for equivalent exports from Germany, following an outbreak in a water buffalo herd in Brandenburg on 10 January 2025.

In addition, as of 8 March, travellers will no longer be able to bring meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by products of pigs and ruminants, or hay or straw, from Hungary and Slovakia to Great Britain.

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD following the recent outbreaks in Hungary and Germany. There are no cases in the UK currently.

FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas. Livestock keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity.

FMD causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said:

We remain in contact with our Hungarian counterparts to understand the latest situation following their confirmation of a single case of foot and mouth disease, measures are now being taken to contain and eradicate the outbreak.

I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said:

The government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by foot and mouth disease.

That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Hungary and Slovakia to prevent an outbreak. We will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads. We will continue to keep the situation under review working closely with the Hungarian and Slovakian authorities.

This comes as the government announced a £200 million investment in the UK’s main research and laboratory testing facilities at Weybridge to bolster protection against animal disease.

What you can do

If you’re an animal keeper, read about how to spot foot and mouth disease and report it.

If you’re an importer or exporter, read about the import restrictions for foot and mouth disease.

Clinical signs to be aware of vary depending on the animals, but in cattle the main signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed. In sheep and pigs, signs tend to manifest with lameness with potential for blistering.

While horses and companion animals are not susceptible to FMD, hay feed or straw bedding, if sourced from an infected area, could act as a fomite and therefore also prevented from entering GB.

Maintaining good biosecurity is essential to protecting the health and welfare of herds and critical to preventing the spread of diseases such as FMD and preventing an outbreak spreading.

Foot and mouth disease is a notifiable disease and must be reported. If you suspect foot and mouth disease in your animals, you must report it immediately by calling:

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 March 2025.

Rural communities are set to benefit from up to £38 million in funding.

Up to £33 million will be directed to the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), which is used to improve local infrastructure and essential services that benefit rural communities and help businesses in rural areas to expand, creating jobs and kickstarting the rural economy.

Examples of the types of projects that will be eligible for funding from the REPF include:

• Creation of rural business hubs providing shared workspace and networking opportunities for rural businesses.
• Development of new products, facilities or building conversions to help rural businesses diversify outside of agriculture.
• Community gardens and greenspaces.
• The creation of new footpaths and development of local visitor trails.
• Kitchens in community hubs and improvements to premises used by local volunteering groups, such as youth charities or carers groups.

In addition, Defra has also announced up to a further £5 million in funding to go towards the continuation of important services for rural communities. Part of this funding will go towards The Rural Community Assets Fund, which provides capital funding for the refurbishment and development of community-owned assets, such as village halls or community centres.

This funding will also support Rural Housing Enablers, who help to bring forward sites to provide affordable housing opportunities in rural areas with people who need them. This comes alongside a grant for Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) to provide advice and support to rural community and voluntary groups that offer social inclusion activities, affordable warmth advice, and community transport.

As part of the Plan for Change, the Government is working to promote economic growth across the country, including in rural areas. This funding will help to support local economies and sustain communities across the countryside

REPF allocations to individual local authorities will be made in line with the existing allocations methodology, with final confirmed allocations to be published in due course.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 February 2025.

The UK welcomes the positive conclusion to negotiations at the resumed meeting of CBD COP16, which saw the international community make progress towards halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.

• The agreement sets out a strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources
• A finalised Monitoring Framework will allow the international community to increase transparency on the global effort to address the nature crisis

The extended session of COP16 in Rome ended today (Friday 28 February), after participants landed on a significant new agreement to address the global nature crisis.

The deal will see global collaboration on raising finance for biodiversity, and details of the monitoring framework of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets finalised to accelerate nature recovery.

An agreement on resource mobilisation creates a clear strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources to fund the work necessary to achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The finalisation of a Monitoring Framework and the global approach to reviewing progress in delivering the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, will ensure shared approach to tracking progress with transparency and accountability.

Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature, who was present at the negotiations in Rome said:

“This agreement is a significant step forward in the effort to tackle the nature crisis.

“As the need for action becomes ever more urgent, a moment of genuine progress like this is heartening to see. Now, we must build on the spirit of co-operation shown in Rome to mobilise the resources needed to restore nature.

“This is essential to help maintain food security, store carbon and tackle the impacts of floods and droughts.”

UK Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

“Nature provides everything we need to live. Our prosperity at home and around the world relies on the health of the natural world.”

“The UK has been active in calling for an ambitious agreement to achieve our international targets to protect and restore the natural world.”

“This agreement follows through on that ambition, and we look forward to working with other nations to protect and restore nature across the globe.”

The UK played a key role in working with the parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to finalise complex discussions on nature finance, and to agree a monitoring framework which will enable all Parties to measure and report in a consistent manner the delivery of their national actions. This will significantly enhance the ability of the international community to monitor the global state of nature, as well as understanding how best to focus future interventions.

Negotiations in Rome saw the launch of the Cali Fund for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources. This is an important step to allow companies who utilise genetic databases derived from nature, such as the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biotech sectors, to direct funds on a voluntary basis towards the Indigenous Peoples and local communities who safeguard biodiversity.

The Government also published the UK National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) during the resumed COP16, which commits to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework at home. It highlights the UK’s international leadership to halt and reverse nature loss as work continues to halt the decline of species by 2030.

This extended session follows the original meeting of COP16 in Cali, Colombia in November 2024. The UK will seek to build on the success of COP16 at the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil later this year and CBD COP17 in Armenia in 2026

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 February 2025.

Government to allow reintroduction of beavers into the wild after centuries of absence in a huge boost for nature conservation.

• Brilliant beavers reduce flood risk, create new wetlands, and boost biodiversity
• Reintroductions to be carefully managed under licence from Natural England

Nature’s original master builder – the Eurasian beaver – is set to return to our waterways after centuries of absence, following a government decision to allow wild release.

Beavers are prodigious ecosystem engineers and proven climate champions – creating natural flood defences that can reduce flood risks and building wetlands which are thriving havens for wildlife.

Known as a keystone species because the habitats they create benefit myriad other species, they were once abundant in England but became extinct due to overhunting. In recent years, beavers have been returning to our waterways through a system of licensed releases into enclosures, and a limited trial of wild release in Devon.

Now in a major boost for conservation, the government has today (Friday 28 February) set out a new approach which will allow beavers to live wild in England’s treasured landscapes.

Ministers have set out how we will provide the certainty needed for conservationists, landowners and farmers in a new policy statement. It includes the detail of a new licensing system, support for landowners and farmers, and a commitment to produce a plan in consultation with these stakeholders for the long-term management of beavers in England.

The return of beavers will be carefully managed to avoid impacts on farming, food production and infrastructure. New wild release projects will need to have a project plan in place covering a 10-year period to support the introduction of beavers into a landscape before Natural England would consider granting a licence.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

“Beavers are cherished creatures who bring so many benefits for people and our precious natural environment. They create wetlands which are havens for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve the water quality of our rivers.

“Reintroducing beavers to the wild is a critical milestone for this Government’s plan to protect and restore our natural world.”

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

“Beavers have been missing from our landscapes for about four hundred years and this careful approach for their planned return is a significant landmark for Nature recovery in England.

“Beavers are environmental engineers. The dams, ponds and canals they build not only create amazingly rich habitats for many other species, but can also help reduce flood risk, purify water and catch carbon.

“Under licence from Natural England, the release of wild beavers will be managed to secure the long-term environmental benefits while seeking to minimise and avoid unwanted impacts.”

All existing beaver populations will be allowed to remain and expand naturally and will ensure that appropriate management measures are put in place. Existing populations of wild beavers will continue to be proactively managed by their local beaver management group.

Through this carefully planned reintroduction programme which is defined by a 5 step management approach, we will support farmers and communities to live alongside beavers, ensuring these natural problem-solvers benefit everyone.

The government will also now begin work on developing a long-term beaver management plan in England. This will build on the approach announced today and be developed with input from key stakeholders, to ensure we meet the challenges and opportunities posed by an expanding beaver population well into the future.

It is expected that the first release of wild beavers will happen at Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve soon with a licence issued to the National Trust.

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said:

“This is fantastic news for nature recovery and people’s livelihoods. Beavers are unparalleled in their ability to restore landscapes, create wetlands that manage flood risk, improve our water quality, and bring back wildlife.

“Since 2020, we’ve introduced beavers at three National Trust sites through licensed, enclosed releases. We’ve seen first-hand the amazing benefits these fascinating mammals provide, and we’re thrilled to receive a licence for the first wild beaver release in England.

“It’s important to us, and the communities we work in, that beaver releases across wider landscapes happen in a responsible, carefully managed way. This licensing process is in everyone’s best interests. It will lead to well-chosen sites, minimise disruption to other landowners, and ensure local communities are fully consulted and involved enabling both people and nature thrive.”

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

“As part of our work to reduce flood risk and restore rivers to good health, the return of wild beavers will improve water quality, boost biodiversity and build resilience to climate change through nature-based solutions.

“Beavers help reduce flooding in nearby towns, remove pollutants from our precious waterways and help to create clean water. Working alongside our partners, the Environment Agency will continue to support the careful management of wild beavers”.

Applications for further wild release licences will first need to submit an ‘expression of interest’ to Natural England. The deadline for the first round of applications is 2 May 2025, with further application windows due to open in due course.

Additional information:

• For more information on beaver licenses, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beavers-applying-for-a-licence-to-release-beavers-into-the-wild

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer of Beaver Trust said:

“This landmark moment in England’s beaver story could be a significant step toward helping to address some of the key environmental challenges we face. We welcome Government recognition of beavers’ potential and hope they now demonstrate their commitment through widespread license granting and proactive restoration of this species across England.

“We are generations behind the rest of Europe in bringing this species back, we have high levels of public support for their return, so we now need a government-led national strategy and effective mitigation framework in order to facilitate population expansion and to realise the valuable societal benefits beavers can bring.

“We look forward to seeing details of the government’s announcement and hope that it will support measures that encourage people to live alongside beavers and form a productive step toward normalising this native species.”

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 February 2025.

New vision by government to deliver on its Plan for Change by increasing timber use in construction and boosting economic growth.

A new roadmap to get Britain building with the use of sustainable and low carbon building materials, will help solve the housing crisis and achieve 2050 net zero targets.

New, ambitious plans to increase the use of timber in construction to boost the domestic timber industry, economic growth, rural jobs and housebuilding targets, have been announced by Environment Minister Mary Creagh today (Thursday 27th February) at the Timber in Construction (TiC) Summit in London.

The government has outlined new methods to deliver on its Plan for Change that will help to build 1.5million sustainable and affordable homes, create a low-waste circular construction sector and drive further investment into domestic timber and wood-processing supply chains.

Speaking at the TiC Summit, Minister Creagh confirmed the government will recommit to the Timber in Construction Roadmap, which outlines measures to increase the use of timber in the construction sector.

Using timber in construction is one of the best ways to reduce emissions from buildings. Around 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions are from the built environment, and larger buildings can store up to 400% more carbon when built out of engineered timber products compared to when built with concrete. Currently only 80% of the timber the UK uses is imported.

The new Timber in Construction Roadmap outlines more ambitious Government priorities and key actions including:

• Encouraging the use of sustainable, low carbon building materials, and ensuring carbon emissions are considering during the design, construction and use of buildings.
• Fulfilling the Government’s commitment to delivering 1.5m homes this Parliament by using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) including the use of timber, to boost productivity in housebuilding and deliver high quality, energy efficient new homes.
• Creating a circular economy by championing timber’s potential for a clean growth future – supporting the construction sector to use the most sustainable, low carbon materials and construction techniques.
• Accelerating economic growth by creating new and diverse green jobs in the productive forestry and timber sectors, as well as stimulating further investment into domestic timber and wood processing supply chains.

These actions will go alongside recommitting to existing plans such as promoting timber as a construction material, boosting skills and capacity across the supply chain and increasing the supply of sustainable timber products.

Environment Minister Mary Creagh said:

“This Government is getting Britain building.

“Our Plan for Change will build 1.5 million homes this Parliament. Timber will play a vital role benefitting development and nature.”

Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford said:

”To reach net zero, we must increase timber production from homegrown trees and use that timber in our buildings to sequester carbon. The Timber in Construction Roadmap will propel forestry production in England to ensure timber security, reduce our dependence on imports, and address the nature crisis by boosting biodiversity, improving water quality, and providing more green spaces for people.

“The Forestry Commission will continue to collaborate closely with partners from the timber, forestry, and construction sectors in this critical area of work for many years ahead”.

Alex Goodfellow, Chair of the Confederation of Timber Industries, and CEO of Donaldson Offsite said:

“The Minister’s support for the Timber in Construction Roadmap shows the Government’s firm commitment to a growth agenda: growth for forestry, for housing, for low-carbon skills and for the economy. The timber supply chain is a major economic player in the UK, connecting rural and urban environments.

“Timber frame construction is a well-proven technology and business model for delivering houses rapidly and sustainably while improving quality.  By accelerating this growth we can build more low-carbon housing today while providing a market pull for expanding forests. As a supply chain we will support the Government to deliver on all of the goals in the Roadmap and help build a more sustainable future.”

The amended Roadmap goes further than previous Government commitments, setting out more ambitious targets and actions to increase the use of homegrown timber in construction in a move to reduce carbon emissions, provide green jobs of the future, create affordable and sustainable housing, and drive-up economic growth.

Increasing the domestic production of timber will create new green jobs in the forestry and wood processing sectors, which contribute over £3bn to the UK economy.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 February 2025.

The government is increasing payment rates for those in existing Higher Level Stewardship and confirming the ELM standalone Capital Grants offer worth £45m in 2025/26 will re-open in the summer.

Farmers and land managers who have been at the forefront of nature-friendly farming in England will see an uplift to Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payment rates, the government has announced today (Monday 24 February).

The increased payment rates, which will apply for agreement holders across a range of HLS options will provide a boost for farmers – often living and working in upland areas – who have been the pioneers of nature-friendly farming.

It will bolster support for farmers delivering high-quality environmental outcomes to maintain species-rich grasslands, managing our most important habitats and delivering a range of high-quality environmental outcomes.

In a further boost for nature recovery and the environment, the popular standalone ELM Capital Grants scheme will re-open in the summer, worth around £45 million in 2025/26.

The Rural Payments Agency is now processing the remaining 4,000 applications held when the scheme paused. These agreements will be worth £120 million over their lifetime.

We are also supporting farmers to improve productivity and protect the environment with a £110 million investment in equipment and technology grants.

The newly designed grant competitions launching this spring will focus on helping the sector transition to net zero and unlock opportunities from the Precision Breeding Act.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner said:

This government’s focus is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable and businesses are viable for the future – delivering the long-term food security this country needs.

Investing in innovation and technology will help farmers produce food more sustainably and profitably, and get the equipment they need to help their bottom line.

And with nature being so crucial to long-term food security, we’re rewarding the pioneers of nature-friendly farming – including many upland farmers.

Our £110 million investment in innovation, equipment, technology includes:

• The launch of one round of the Farming Equipment and Technology (FETF) Fund in the spring, providing grants of between £1,000 and £25,000.
• New Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) grants worth more than £42.5 million, including competitions focussed on unlocking the benefits of precision breeding and supporting the net zero transition.
• Our new ADOPT fund will provide £20 million of additional funding for farmer-led trials that bridge the gap between new technologies and their real-world application, giving farmers the confidence investments in tech will deliver the returns they need.

Alongside these grants, we are also extending the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme to continue to support and improve England’s most precious areas of natural beauty, and improving animal health and welfare through government funded vet visits.

Through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway farmers will be able to apply for visits to cover every eligible species they have from this week, and from summer they will also be able to apply for a visit for every eligible herd or flock of the same species.

Additionally, the recruitment campaign for the Commissioner for Tenant Farming Sector role is now live. The Commissioner will encourage behaviour in the sector to meet standards set out in the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England.

As part of the government’s Plan for Change, we are delivering on the Government’s New Deal for Farmers, with the first steps set out by the Secretary of State at the Oxford Farming Conference.

We will work with the sector to boost profitability through fair competition across the supply chain, use planning reforms to support food production and monitor food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from.

We will help farmers diversify income streams and make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid.

We are going further to develop a 25-year farming roadmap to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 25 February 2025.

Environment Secretary to announce reform package to boost farmers’ profitability as part of the Plan for Change.

New reforms to make farming more profitable will be announced today by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed.

Speaking to farmers at the NFU conference in Westminster, Steve Reed will reveal new plans to deliver a profitable farming sector, while reaffirming Government’s cast iron commitment to food production, and unlocking rural growth.

The speech will announce a raft of new policies to put money into the pockets of British farmers including:

• Extending the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years giving farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop alternative solutions.
• Back British produce: British farmers handed a major boost under new requirements for government catering contracts to favour high-quality, high-welfare products that local farms and producers are well placed to serve. The move marks a major leap in achieving the government’s ambition for at least 50% of food supplied into the £5 billion public sector catering contracts to be from British producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.
• £110 million investment in technology: The Farming Innovation Programme which supports research and development of agri-technology for farmers, for example the chemical free cleaning for integrated milking equipment, which lowers energy costs and chemical use. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides grants of up to £25,000 to buy new equipment such as electric weeders to reduce chemical use.
• Protecting farmers in trade deals: The government will uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals.
• Strengthening Britain’s biosecurity: Setting up a new National Biosecurity Centre to transform the Animal and Plant Health Agency animal health facility at Weybridge, investing £200 million to improve our resilience against animal disease to protect farmers and food producers.

Speaking about profitability, Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is expected to say:

The underlying problem is that farmers do not make enough money for the hard work and commitment they put in.

I will consider my time as Secretary of State a failure if I do not improve profitability for farmers across the country.

My focus is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable because that’s how we make your businesses viable for the future. And that’s how we ensure the long-term food security this country needs.

This builds on the commitments made at the Oxford Farming Conference, where the Environment Secretary set out the government’s vision for farming including:

• Using planning reforms to support food production: Ensuring our reforms make it quicker for farmers to build the buildings, barns and other infrastructure they need on their farms to boost food production.
• Diversifying income streams: Helping farmers make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid, supporting them during difficult harvests and supply shocks.
• A fair supply chain: Boosting profitability through fair competition across the supply chain. New rules for the pig sector will come this spring, ensuring contracts clearly set out expectations and changes can only be made if agreed by all parties. Similar regulations for eggs and fresh produce sectors will follow with the government ready to intervene with other sectors if needed.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 February 2025.

The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 has today received Royal Assent, boosting the powers of water sector regulators to tackle pollution.

Major legislation to crack down on water bosses polluting Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas has today been signed into law in the most significant increase to enforcement powers in a decade.

The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 will give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.

The Act delivers on the manifesto pledges to clean up the water sector, including increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against water executives who break the law. It will create new tougher penalties, including possible imprisonment, for water executives who obstruct investigations.

The new legislation will provide powers for Ofwat to ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses if they fail to meet high standards to protect the environment, their consumers, and their company’s finances.

Other measures in the Act include automatic penalties to allow regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations. It will also introduce independent monitoring of every sewage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. Discharges will have to be reported within an hour of the initial spill.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

“We promised to put water companies under tough special measures to clean up our waterways. Today, the Government has delivered on that promise as we continue to deliver on our Plan for Change.

“Polluting water bosses will no longer be paid undeserved bonuses. And if they break the law over water pollution, they could end up in the dock and face prison time.

“This is just the beginning. The Independent Water Commission will report back later this year to shape new laws that will transform our water system so we can clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good.”

The Act introduces bold new measures to clean up the industry, including:

• Enhanced enforcement powers: The Environment Agency will have increased ability to bring criminal charges against water bosses who break the law, who could face tougher penalties such as imprisonment of executives when companies fail to cooperate or obstruct investigations. The cost recovery powers of regulators will be expanded to ensure that water companies bear the cost of enforcement action taken in response to their failings.
• Ban on bonuses: Ofwat will have the power to set rules prohibiting the payment of executive bonuses if companies fail to meet high standards in protecting the environment, their consumers, and financial resilience.
• Automatic penalties: Automatic penalties will be introduced for a range of offences, allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly without redirecting resources to lengthy investigations.
• Independent monitoring: Every emergency sewage outlet will be monitored, with data independently scrutinised and made publicly available within an hour of sewage spills occurring. This will ensure transparency and direct further investment to improving sewage infrastructure.
• Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs): Water companies in England will be required to publish annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans and report regularly on their progress, enabling the public and regulators to hold companies accountable for reducing pollution incidents.

The Act marks a major milestone in the government’s long-term approach to tackling the systemic issues in the water sector – helping to meet the challenges of the future, such as climate change, and driving economic growth.

Further legislation aimed at fundamentally transforming how our entire water system operates will be guided by the findings of the Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, which is currently conducting the largest review of the industry since privatisation.

Action taken so far

Immediate steps:

In his first week, the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed announced a series of initial steps towards ending the crisis in the water sector:

• After writing to Ofwat, the Secretary of State secured agreement that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment not diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.
• Water companies will place customers and the environment at the heart of their objectives. Companies have agreed to change their ‘Articles of Association’ – the rules governing each company – to make the interests of customers and the environment a primary objective.
• Consumers will gain new powers to hold water company bosses to account through powerful new customer panels. For the first time in history, customers will have the power to summon board members and hold water executives to account.
• Strengthen protection and compensation for households and businesses when their basic water services are affected. We have now doubled the compensation customers are legally entitled to when key standards are not met. The payments will also be triggered by a wider set of circumstances including Boil Water Notices.

Independent Commission:

• We have launched an Independent Commission into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation.
• Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Jon Cunliffe, has been appointed as the chair of the Commission. With several decades of economic and regulatory experience, his appointment demonstrates the Government’s serious ambitions. The Commission will draw upon a panel of experts from across the regulatory, environment, health, engineering, customer, investor, and economic sectors.
• A set of recommendations will be delivered to the Defra Secretary of State, and Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.
• These recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good – injecting billions of pounds into the economy, speeding up delivery on infrastructure to support house building and addressing water scarcity, given the country needs to source an additional 5 billion litres of water a day by 2050.

Further information:

Please see further details on the Water (Special Measures) Act here.

Stakeholder quotes:

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

“The passing into law of the Water (Special Measures) Act is a crucial step in making sure water companies take full responsibility for their impact on the environment.

“The increased regulatory powers introduced by this legislation will allow us to close the justice gap, deliver swifter enforcement action and ultimately deter illegal activity.

“Alongside these reforms, we are undertaking the biggest ever transformation to the way we regulate. By investing in additional resources, training and updated digital assets, we are ensuring the water system better meets the needs of both people and the environment, now and in the future.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales’s Deputy First Minister for Wales with responsibility for Climate Change, said:

“Restoring our rivers and improving water quality is a key priority for us.

“We’ve been working in partnership with the UK Government to tackle pollution in our rivers, lakes, and seas, and to make sure the water industry is properly regulated.

“Today’s Royal Assent of the Special Measures Bill is another step forward and shows what we can achieve working together.”

Helen Campbell, Ofwat’s Senior Director for Sector Performance, said:

‘’We welcome today’s Royal Assent of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, which provides a clear signal to create a water sector that delivers for all customers and the environment.

“The Act gives Ofwat new powers to set requirements for companies on remuneration and governance, including prohibiting performance-related executive pay. These rules are an important step towards rebuilding public trust within the water sector, while also prompting water companies to focus on delivering a change in their culture that better meets the expectations of their customers.

“We are working at pace to implement these new rules and intend to launch consultations on the final proposals later this year.”

Mike Keil, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said:

“Repairing people’s fractured trust in the water sector requires not only a vast improvement in environmental performance, but also a sea change in water company culture so customers’ priorities are put before profit.

“It will take time to transform the water sector, but these new legal powers mark an important step in tackling two issues which make people’s blood boil – water company executives being rewarded for failure and pollution in our rivers, lakes, and seas.

“Water companies will be placing much bigger demands on billpayers’ finances over the next five years, so people have a right to expect far more for their money.”

Mark Lloyd, Rivers Trust CEO, said:

“The Water Special Measures Bill is a welcome first step from the government towards building a water system which restores nature, builds resilience to drought and flooding, and tackles the widespread issues of pollution.

“We welcome the improvements made to the bill in its passage through the Lords and the Government’s acceptance of amendments strengthening the environment duty of Ofwat and a greater emphasis on Nature Based Solutions.

“We are engaging closely with the current Independent Water Commission which we see as a once in a generation opportunity to take several more, and bolder steps towards a more integrated and catchment-based approach to managing water.”

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said:

“We welcome Royal Assent of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, an important step toward cleaning up the freshwater environment. Regulators must make decisive use of new enforcement powers wherever companies continue to pollute, and Ofwat should make the most of new financial disclosure rules to ensure that funds that ought to be spent cleaning up rivers are never again siphoned off for profit.

“As the Government has recognised, the Act is just a first step. It must be followed promptly by further legislation and action to clamp down on pollution and ramp up environmental investment across whole catchments and across all the sectors responsible for polluting our rivers.”

Ali Morse, Water Policy Manager at the Wildlife Trusts, said:

“It’s encouraging to see The Water (Special Measures) Act bringing welcome powers and resourcing for regulators, as well as protections for the environment, with additional sewage spill monitoring and a focus on reducing pollution. These are topics that customers really care about. It lays important groundwork for the future legislative changes which are vital to ensure that the water sector can achieve what it needs to in the interests of its customers, and the rivers, lakes, and seas which people cherish.

“The work of the Independent Water Commission offers a once in a generation opportunity to reshape the way that we secure the improvements our waters desperately need, across catchment and sectors, and we’ll continue to work with the Commission and Government to ensure that these vital changes are driven forward.”

Jamie Cook, Angling Trust CEO, said:

“We welcome the government’s early action on water pollution with this bill. The behaviour of water companies is a national scandal, and illegal sewage pollution must result in prosecutions.

“The Angling Trust’s network of water-testing volunteers regularly exposes horrendous pollution in waterways and damage done to fisheries. The Environment Agency must use its powers to prosecute any law-breaking water bosses and address any illegal sewage spills uncovered in its long-standing investigation into potential permit breaches.

“This bill is a first step toward cleaning up waterways and fixing the regulatory system. The Independent Water Commission must now drive systemic reform, leading to a stronger water bill later in this Parliament—one that transforms water management and safeguards rivers, lakes, seas, and the fish that depend on them.”

Ben Seal, Head of Access and Environment at Paddle UK, said:

“Paddle UK and The Clean Water Sports Alliance welcomes the Water (Special Measures) Act receiving Royal Assent today. This legislation is a shot across the bows of polluting companies. Banning bonuses for failures and issuing tougher penalties is a very welcome first step by the Government – a down payment on the promised future reform that our broken system so desperately needs”

“Enjoying time in, on, or alongside water is vitally important in supporting the health and wellbeing of millions of people. Our community has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of the impact pollution is having on both people and nature. We will be watching closely to ensure that these new powers are used to their fullest, to hold polluters to account and begin to restore our precious blue spaces”.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 February 2025.

Appointments and reappointments made to Defra’s Science Advisory Council.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed the appointment of four new members and the reappointment of two members to the Science Advisory Council.

The four new appointees are:

• Professor Nicola Beaumont
• Professor Camille Bonneaud
• Professor Chris Hauton
• Professor Jane Hill

Members will serve a three-year term, taking effect from 10 February 2025 until 9 February 2028.

Two existing members of the Science Advisory Council have been reappointed for a second term of three years. Professor Felix Eigenbrod’s reappointment began on 1 February 2025 and will continue until 31 January 2028. Professor Marian Scott’s second term takes effect on 1 June 2025 and will run until 31 May 2028.

The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Defra’s Science Advisory Council

Defra’s Science Advisory Council is an advisory non-departmental public body which provides expert independent advice on science policy and strategy to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).