Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

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

Twelve businesses across England and Northern Ireland secure access to Mexico’s rapidly expanding market.

From chile verde to tacos de buche, British pork is set to be served up on Mexican tables following the UK’s successful bid to secure long-term access to this lucrative market.

Twelve businesses across England and Northern Ireland have secured approval to export quality British products, including favourites such pork chops, to Mexico’s rapidly expanding market, with the UK securing new access specifically for Northern Irish exporters through dedicated negotiations with Mexico.

British pork stands out globally for its exceptional quality and strong welfare standards, positioning British pig farmers perfectly to supply premium pork products that meet growing Mexican consumer demand.

The businesses will also now be able to export offal and edible by-products, bringing British pig farmers a return on parts that are less popular in the UK but which Mexican consumers relish as part of classical buche meat dishes. Sustaining and growing the export market is essential for optimising the full value of British pig carcasses, which in turn helps strengthen prices for UK farmers at the farm gate.

With consumption in Mexico’s pork market growing by 5.4% annually between 2019 and 2024, industry estimates expect the deal to bring in £19m over the first five years, delivering on the government’s commitment to kickstart economic growth and put more money into working people’s pockets under the Plan for Change.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner said:

British pork is renowned for its exceptional quality and high welfare standards, so it’s no surprise to see global demand continuing to grow.

This is a tremendous win for our pork producers and builds on our recent success in resuming exports to China. It demonstrates this government’s unwavering commitment to securing better trade deals for British farmers and food producers and will boost their incomes as part of our Plan for Change.

Exports Minister Gareth Thomas said:

British pork is the best in the world and this £20 million export win will boost farming and rural communities across the nation.

The removal of yet another trade barrier is testament to our Trade Strategy which focusses on quick deals that deliver faster benefits to UK businesses and shows how this government is boosting exports as part of our Plan for Change while upholding our world-leading food standards.

Jonathan Eckley, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) International Trade development Director, said:

Access and broadening the scope of our pig meat exports to the significant Mexican market is very welcome news and a testament to our levy payers’ work in providing world class products, produced to the highest standards.

This successful outcome follows eight years of negotiations between Mexican and UK authorities led by Defra, including Food Standards Agency, DAERA and industry partnerships with valuable support from the Department for Business and Trade and the FCDO.

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister, Andrew Muir, said:

I am delighted that Mexico has granted approval for Northern Ireland to export pork to its markets.

This is testament to the exceptional standards we have in place here in Northern Ireland to produce high quality meat at an international level and demonstrates our commitment to supporting our important agri-food industry. Working together with industry, government and key stakeholders was essential to reach this agreement.

The deal will also pave the way for future opportunities for British exporters, with 20% tariffs on pork set to disappear once Mexico ratifies the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), making quality British produce even more competitive in this growing market.

The news follows the launch of the government’s Trade Strategy, with a focus on practical deals that deliver faster benefits to UK businesses and builds on a string of recent successes for British farmers and producers abroad, with the government securing access to the US market for UK beetroot growers and slashing red tape to end China’s Covid-era restrictions on UK unprocessed pork exports.

Defra will continue to work closely with UK pork producers and traders, as well as relevant industry bodies, to ensure the smooth export of their goods to Mexico.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The 12 sites include:

• Cranswick Country Foods PLC – Hull, Watton and Ballymena
• Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd – Spalding and Westerleigh, Bristol
• Thermotraffic Ltd – Wrexham
• Magnavale Chesterfield Ltd –    Chesterfield
• ABP Cold Store – Hull
• Americold Spalding Ltd – Spalding
• Turners (Soham) Ltd – Suffolk
• Karro Food Group – Cookstown
• Interfrigo Ltd – Antrim

FURTHER QUOTES

Anjali Juneja, Director of International Affairs at the FSA said:

“We’re pleased that British pork is in demand, this news provides a welcome boost to the industry and a recognition of how high food safety standards help underpin confidence in British meat, and support exports.”

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 August 2025.

Government completes substantial investment in the future of farming as fairer approach to funding means more farmers than ever set to benefit from capital grants offer than in previous years.

Thousands of farmers will benefit from £150 million from Capital Grants funding supporting sustainable food production and environmental improvement.

With over 8,000 applications now submitted in under 5 weeks this is the fastest uptake ever for the offer and shows a clear appetite from the sector to transition towards nature-friendly farming.

Having funding thresholds in place for this round means more farmers have been able to access help to support their efforts to deliver for nature than in previous years, ensuring that every single penny of funding gets into farmers’ pockets.

Grants for reducing farming’s impact on water quality have proved to be the most popular, including upgrades to yard proofing to reduce agricultural runoff and fencing to keep livestock out of water courses.

The government is committed to supporting farming to reduce their impact on waterways, and these grants will help farmers to produce food in a way that is more sensitive to river catchments with reduced water pollution.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner said:

I am delighted to see such strong demand in our Capital Grants offer, and strong momentum behind nature-friendly farming.

We know that for farm businesses to thrive, they need to be profitable, and we will ensure that every penny of the budget reaches farmers as part of the government’s Plan For Change.

Elsewhere, this round of funding will help support on farm efforts to enhance biodiversity with grants for hedgerow planting and laying, creating and restoring important habitats for wildlife. Grants will also promote sustainable farming practices by funding practical environmental improvements, such as planting shelterbelts to improve air quality, that benefit both nature and long-term farm resilience.

As part of a new approach to communicating with the sector Defra has published updates for farmers and land managers when key milestones for uptake were reached, including at 50%, and 75% and advised that the fund would close as soon as all funding was allocated.

Applicants whose application has been approved, will receive their money once the work has concluded and they have submitted claim for payment.

This government is committed to environmental land management schemes and believe these are the best tools to support the farming sector’s transition to sustainable food production and profitability.

Over the next 4 years, funding for Environmental Land Management schemes, paid directly to farmers, will increase 150% from £800 million in 2023/24 to £2 billion by 2028/29.

Shortly the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme will open for applications in September to those who have been invited to apply and there will be an update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive reformed offer.

A record £11.8 billion for sustainable farming and food production is being invested over this parliament. Alongside farming schemes, the government are slashing costs and red tape for food producers to export to the EU, have appointed former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters to recommend reforms to boost farmers’ profits, and we’re ensuring farmers get a bigger share of food contracts across our schools, hospitals, and prisons.

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

Three new appointments and two reappointments made.

Dame Dervilla Mitchell, Dr Fiona Pathiraja and Sarah Greasley have been appointed as Trustees. Dervilla and Fiona’s four-year terms commenced on 1 July 2025. Sarah’s four-year term will commence on 1 October 2025.

Steve Almond and Kate Priestman have been reappointed as Trustees for a second term of four years from 2 October 2025 to 1 October 2029.

These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

Biographies

Dame Dervilla Mitchell

Dervilla is an experience engineering leader who has been involved in significant infrastructure programmes at Heathrow, Dublin and Abu Dhabi airports. She has also led the design of a range of new build and renovation projects in different sectors. She spent the majority of her career at Arup, a trust-owned organisation, latterly serving as Global Deputy Chair and Ethics Director.

She became involved in the decarbonisation agenda whilst a member of the Council for Science and Technology and subsequently took on the role of Chair of the National Engineering Policy Centre’s decarbonisation working group. Her non-executive experience has been gained through Trustee roles as Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and serving as a school governor at three different girls’ schools in London.

She was awarded a DBE for Services to Engineering in 2024, having previously received a CBE in 2014. She has received Honorary Doctorates from University College Dublin, as well as Imperial College London, where she now sits on the Industry Advisory Board for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Dr Fiona Pathiraja

Fiona is an investor and philanthropist. She is Managing Partner of Crista Galli Ventures, a pan-European healthtech venture capital firm. She serves on several boards and is currently a trustee of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Arts. Fiona leads philanthropic endeavours at IPQ Capital, her Family Office, and is vice-chair of London Business School’s fundraising board.

A former NHS consultant radiologist at University College London Hospital, Fiona has held a range of strategic and leadership roles across healthcare, including Clinical Advisor to the Department of Health and Social Care. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists, a Member of the Faculty of Public Health, and holds Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health degrees. Fiona is an advocate for greater diversity in technology and investment.

Sarah Greasley

Sarah is an accomplished technology leader with more than 40 years’ expertise working in both the technology and financial services industries. She was Solutions Architecture Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Amazon Web Services, and prior to that, she was Group Chief Technology Officer at Direct Line Group and a Distinguished Engineer at IBM. She has a broad range of leadership experience across new technologies, strategy, risk and resilience. She also has a strong focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion.

She has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and is a Chartered Fellow of the British Computing Society, as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Sarah is a Trustee of the British Exploring Society and a Governor at Charterhouse School.

Steve Almond

After obtaining a BA in History at Royal Holloway College, University of London, Steve trained as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte and spent much of his career there as an Audit Partner specialising in the financial services industry. He worked in a variety of roles for 16 years on the Deloitte UK Executive and, concurrently, eight years on the Global Executive. He has a wealth of experience advising large company boards and audit committees and served for 10 years on the board of Deloitte UK. In 2011, he was elected Chairman of Deloitte’s Global Board. In that capacity, he represented Deloitte on various external bodies, including the Accounting for Sustainability Advisory Board; International Integrated Reporting Council; Social Progress Index Advisory Board; and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Kate Priestman

Kate has worked in the biopharma industry for over 25 years and is currently Chief Corporate and External Affairs Officer at CSL. Before joining CSL, Kate served as Senior Vice-President of R&D Strategy and Portfolio at GlaxoSmithKline, focused on the development of transformational medicines and vaccines. Kate also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC. Kate’s career has spanned roles in commercial, corporate governance, communications and government affairs, following an early career at the BBC as a presenter and documentary maker. In her spare time, Kate is an artist and creator of a popular design blog; her work inspired an installation in the Chicago Botanic Garden in 2016 and is used in schools as part of the creative arts curriculum.

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

Flood warning service expanded to provide early warning of flooding to communities in Cheadle, Stockport and Platt Bridge. Residents can register for free.

The Environment Agency has expanded its flood warning service across Cheadle, Stockport and the Platt Bridge area of Wigan to ensure more people than ever across Greater Manchester are warned about any imminent risk of flooding.

The new flood warnings cover almost 800 homes and businesses and will see a warning message issued when flooding is forecast and then again to warn users if impacts are likely.

Flood warnings tell people about the risk of flooding to their home or business, and help people make informed decisions about how to respond. There are three types of warning – Flood Alert, Flood Warning and Severe Flood Warning.

Residents can register for the new service for free and choose to receive notifications via phone call (voice recording), text or email and by fully registering, people can also sign up to receive warnings for multiple locations.

Improving the Service

The new flood warning areas have been added as part a result of new modelling and data – part of the Environment Agency’s drive to continually improve the flood warning service it provides across the country.

Several of the new locations to receive flood warnings were places that flooded over the New Year period.

Laila Berry, Flood Resilience Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:

We know all too well the devastating impact that flooding can have, which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.

Our staff use the latest technology to monitor rainfall, river and tide levels 24 hours a day to forecast flooding.

The extension of our flood warning service will allow even more people across Stockport, Cheadle and Wigan to take action and stay safe if flooding is likely to occur.

“We would encourage all of those people in new flood warning areas to fully register their preferred details via Gov UK or Floodline for free, for both their safety and peace of mind.”

Be Prepared for Flooding

Householders are encouraged to prepare if they receive a Flood Alert which could mean packing a bag that includes medicines, insurance documents and anything else they wouldn’t want to lose if flooding were to take place.

A Flood Warning calls on people to act now which means turning off gas, water and electricity and moving family and pets to safety. A Severe Flood Warning means you are in immediate danger and should follow advice from the emergency services.

The accuracy of flood warnings improves over time as the Environment Agency gather more data and get a better understanding of how the river reacts to heavy rainfall. In the short term in new flood warning areas, there may be a higher than normal occurrence of false alarms, due to them always being issued on the side of caution.

There are over 1.6 million users registered to receive flood warnings at the touch of a button across the country. These flood warnings are generated from river level data which is collected via an extensive monitoring network across England.

The data is combined with weather forecasts, river models and other information to produce location specific flood forecasts.

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

Call for holidaymakers to follow rules introduced to help protect farmers from Foot and Mouth.

UK holidaymakers heading to Europe this summer are being urged to help protect British farmers from Foot and Mouth disease by not bringing back meat and dairy products

Europe has seen a wave of cases impacting Hungary, Austria and Germany, and the UK Chief Vet is today (July 24th) urging the British public to comply with the rules, so we avoid a devastating outbreak like the one that was experienced in 2001.

Foot and Mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that can, in some cases, kill cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals. It can be carried in animal products – including meat, dairy products and some processed food. The virus can remain viable for months and can rapidly spread through contaminated objects and the movement of people.

It is illegal for travellers entering GB to bring with them untreated meat or dairy products including lamb, pork, mutton, venison and goat meat, and all other products made from these meats or containing them – such as sandwiches and sausages – from the EU, regardless of whether they are packed, packaged or have been bought at duty free.

This includes products such as cheese, chorizo, salami, serrano ham, pâté, yoghurt, butter, milk, and sandwiches containing any of the banned meats.

These strict rules were introduced due to the toll Foot and Mouth can have on the farming industry . An outbreak could result in the culling of large numbers of the country’s livestock and cost the UK economy billions of pounds in production shortfalls, lost trade and disease control. The outbreak in GB in 2001 is estimated to have cost £15 billion (in current prices) in disease control costs alone.

Biosecurity Minister, Baroness Hayman, said:

Maintaining the integrity of our biosecurity against Foot and Mouth Disease is essential, and this updated control strategy reflects our strengthened approach to managing that risk. It reflects our clear determination to safeguard our borders.

We are asking the public to take this seriously. Do not bring prohibited animal or plant products into the country—doing so puts farmers livelihoods at risk.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

Foot and Mouth disease has been recently circulating on the continent. The disease presents a significant risk to Britain’s food security and economy.

This highly contagious disease causes considerable suffering to livestock and has a devastating economic and personal impact on farmers, who lose their prized animals.  I know it is disappointing not to be able to bring back produce from your holidays, but please avoid temptation – you will be doing your bit to help protect our hard-working farmers.

To further strengthen the country’s response to foot and mouth disease, the Government has today updated the Foot and Mouth Control Strategy for GB which will support the UK’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to an outbreak, protecting the livestock industry and rural economy. This is the first update in over a decade. This comes ahead of an exercise later this year to test Government preparedness. The updated framework provides information to help farmers protect their business and outlines how government will respond effectively to outbreaks.

Last month, the Government announced £1bn funding for a new investment programme to build a new National Biosecurity Centre – a cutting-edge scientific campus in Surrey that will serve as the UKs foremost animal biosecurity facility. This will better protect the public and farmers from animal disease by enhancing the country’s detection, surveillance and control capabilities for high-risk animal diseases, such as avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, and African swine fever, and enhance our ability to manage concurrent disease outbreaks.

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:

• • 03000 200 301 in England
  • 0300 303 8268 in Wales

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 July 2025.

Environment Agency publishes results of National Waste Crime Survey 2025, showing almost three quarters of all waste crimes go unreported.

Landowners and farmers are being urged to help the Environment Agency stop waste crime as new research shows only 12% reported the most recent incidents which affected them.

The findings were revealed today (Wednesday 23 July) in the results of the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey 2025, which also show more than half (57%) of landowners and farmers are estimated to have been affected by waste crime.

Networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means. The waste industry, landowners and farmers who took part in the survey estimate 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, attracted by financial gains.

Last year, three men were convicted following a major investigation led by the Environment Agency into large-scale illegal deposits of more than 26,000 tonnes of waste – the equivalent weight of around 2,170 double-decker buses – at 17 sites across the country. Organised criminal gang members approached waste facilities and offered to dispose of baled waste at reduced costs, which they later abandoned.

The Environment Agency is determined to stop waste crime, protect the environment, and pursue criminals. It’s essential to know when and where these offences are happening – and the survey shows only just more than a quarter (27%) of all waste crimes are reported.

To ensure it has the best possible information to identify and stop the culprits, the Environment Agency is appealing to landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director for Waste & Resources Regulation, said:

Waste criminals’ toxic crimes cause widespread and significant harm to people, places and the economy. The Environment Agency is determined to use all our powers and resources to stop waste criminals, but we cannot achieve this alone.

Our survey shows almost three quarters of waste offences go unreported, so we urge industry and the public to help us stop waste criminals faster by sharing what they know about the people carrying out these heinous crimes.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

Through our Plan for Change, this government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.

With the shocking scale of this challenge revealed today, we are tightening the net on the organised crime groups who exploit our broken waste system.

We will not stand and watch while our countryside is polluted by criminals who undercut decent businesses.

Sam Corp, Head of Regulation at the Environmental Services Association, said:

With more than half of British landowners now reporting that they have fallen victim to the illegal dumping of waste, the survey findings are further evidence of the waste crime epidemic facing the UK, much of which is perpetrated by organised crime groups.

It is essential that we all exercise our duty of care to ensure waste does not fall into criminal hands and that, across society, we report all waste crime when we see it to help the authorities identify and stop the culprits.

Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications & External Affairs at CIWM, said:

Waste crime causes misery and anxiety to communities wherever it occurs. It also damages local economies and undermines the professional recycling, resources and waste sector.

These latest National Waste Crime Survey figures show the extent of the challenge we face and the need for renewed focus and action. We can all do something to tackle waste crime and to bring those responsible to account.

CIWM encourages everyone to report suspicious activity or any incidents involving the illegal tipping of waste materials – wherever and whenever you see it. By reporting it to your local authorities or to the Environment Agency, you’re increasing the chance of prosecution and of swift action to maintain the quality of local environments on which our economy depends.

Conducted in February, the survey is used to help better understand the nature and scale of waste crime, as perceived by those experiencing it, including landowners, farmers and the waste industry.

The survey’s results show waste criminals are active across the country, with respondents estimating 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed at some point in the supply chain – enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times.

Waste industry respondents who had suffered waste crime reported incurring significant costs, with 52% experiencing losses exceeding £50,000 due to illegal waste sites, 44% from illegal waste exports, and 32% from large-scale fly-tipping.

Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation. This will act as a strong deterrent and ensure the full force of the law comes down hard on those trashing the nation’s communities.

The Environment Agency fully supports legitimate operators and is working hard in collaboration with other partners to stop illegal waste management. In one recent successful prosecution, a former teacher who filled two quarries in Hertfordshire with enough illegal waste to fill the Royal Albert Hall nearly three times over was ordered to pay almost £79,000 following an Environment Agency investigation.

And, in another prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, a County Durham man was jailed for 44 weeks in February for operating an illegal waste site without an environmental permit.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 22 July 2025.

New plans to address the presence of chemicals from flea and tick treatments in rivers and streams across the UK have been unveiled today.

The initiative by the Cross-Government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group focuses primarily on two chemicals – fipronil and imidacloprid – commonly used in topical parasite treatments for pets. These medicines play an essential role in protecting both animal and human health against fleas and ticks, however there are growing concerns around the amount of fipronil and imidacloprid finding its way into UK rivers and lakes .

The new roadmap outlines key actions to reduce levels of flea and tick treatments in the environment while protecting animal welfare – which includes commissioning research to better understand this issue and using this evidence to support an international review of environmental risk assessment guidelines . The three key stages of the roadmap are:

• Communication and Education (Short Term):
  The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will collaborate with veterinary professionals and industry stakeholders to improve pet owner awareness about the appropriate use and disposal of flea and tick treatments.
• Evidence Gathering (Medium Term):
  The group will build a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impacts of these chemicals, alongside evaluating potential consequences of changing use patterns on animal and human health. The VMD has commissioned scientific research investigating how these substances enter rivers and streams and is working closely with the Environment Agency to assess the environmental risks they pose.
• Regulatory Actions (Long Term):
  Based on the evidence collected, the PiE Group will support a review of international environmental risk assessment guidelines and consider future regulatory approaches to mitigate environmental risks.

Defra Biosecurity Minister, Baroness Hayman said:

This Government is absolutely committed to restoring nature and reducing harms posed by chemicals in the environment.

Our new Roadmap will develop a better understanding of the impact of flea and tick treatments on the environment, while recognising these treatments play a vital role in pet and human health.

Abigail Seager, Chief Executive Officer of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), said:

This roadmap represents an important step forward in ensuring that the benefits of effective parasite control are maintained while taking necessary actions to reduce environmental risks.

It reflects our commitment to an evidence-based approach, working closely with partners across government to protect both animal health and the environment.

Kelly Short, Environment Agency Chemicals Manager said:

The launch of this roadmap is an important step in tackling the presence of harmful chemicals like fipronil and imidacloprid in our rivers and streams.

By improving public awareness, building the evidence base, and working together to assess environmental risks, we can take meaningful action to protect our water environment and the wildlife that depends on it.

The PiE Group brings together key government bodies, including the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), Environment Agency (EA), Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and representatives from devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

This collaborative initiative aims to develop a coordinated strategy to reduce the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals from human, veterinary, agricultural, and non-agricultural sources.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 July 2025.

Sewage pollution from water companies will be cut in half by the end of the decade, the Environment Secretary Steve Reed will pledge today (Sunday 20 July).

Our rivers, lakes and seas will be the cleanest since records began, meaning millions of families will benefit from cleaner beaches and rivers.

For the first time the Government has made a pledge to cut sewage pollution with a clear target which they will be held accountable to.

The Government, in partnership with investors, has secured funding to rebuild the entire water network to clean up our rivers.

In one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country’s history, a record £104 billion is being invested to upgrade crumbling pipes and build new sewage treatment works cutting sewage pollution into rivers.

Over the past year, the Government has introduced a package of measures to slash pollution levels. Bills are now ringfenced to force companies to invest in upgrades and over £100 million of water fines are being spent on local clean-up projects.

The commitment comes as the Government vows “root and branch reform” to usher in a revolution in the water industry, ahead of the Independent Water Commission’s final report.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

Families have watched their local rivers, coastlines and lakes suffer from record levels of pollution.

My pledge to you: the Government will halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade.

One of the largest infrastructure projects in England’s history will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.”

The Government has already taken decisive action to clean up England’s waterways.

• Record investment: with £104 billion to upgrade crumbling pipes and build sewage treatment works across the country.
• Ringfence customers’ bills for upgrades: customer bills earmarked for investment must now be spent on new sewage pipes and treatment works – not spent on shareholder payments or bonuses.
• Reinvesting company fines into local projects: with over £100million being invested into local clean-up projects in communities.
• Largest budget for water regulation: the Environment Agency received a record £189 million to fund hundreds of enforcement officers to inspect and prosecute polluting water companies.
• Polluter Pays: companies will now cover the cost of prosecutions and successful investigations into pollution incidents, enabling the regulator to hire more staff and pursue further enforcement activity.
• Banning wet wipes containing plastic in England: introducing legislation to reduce microplastics in our waters.
• The Water (Special Measures) Act: banned unfair bonuses for ten polluting water bosses this year and threatened prison sentences for law-breaking executives.

This package of measures will slash storm overflow spills by 50% by 2030 and halve phosphorus from treated wastewater by 2028.

Both contaminants choke our rivers, suffocate wildlife and destroy ecosystems. In 2024, sewage spilled into waterways for a record 3,614,428 hours.

Pollution levels were a decisive factor in the Government launching the Independent Water Commission last October – the largest review of the sector since privatisation.

Led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, the Commission’s final report will be published on Monday with recommendations on regulation, strategic frameworks and support for consumers. The Government will respond to the recommendations in Parliament on Monday.

FURTHER INFORMATION

PLEDGE:

Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge is based on:

• A 50% reduction in spills from storm overflows – an outlet from the public sewer that spills both sewage and rainwater into the environment – by 2030.
• A 50% reduction in the amount of phosphorus from water company treated wastewater entering our waterways by the end of January 2028.
• Work with devolved governments to ban wet wipes containing plastic across the UK. We will go further to tackle the issues caused by unflushables to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution, particularly in our waters.
• Continued work on pre-pipe measures, such as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) which help to reduce pressure on the sewerage system.
• The start of trials by water companies of nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands, to investigate if they can be used in the treatment process to reduce harm.

STORM OVERFLOWS:

• There are around 14,500 storm overflows in England, which are designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy rain.
• The Government has required all storm overflows to have event duration monitors installed which provides information on sewage discharges. That information is published in near real time. Coverage reached 100% by the end of 2023.
• Today’s pledge is for a 50% cut in spills from storm overflows by the end of December 2029, based on a 2024 baseline.
• There was an average of 32 spills per storm overflow in 2024.
• The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan (SODRP) has set stringent targets on reducing spills, including a 75% reduction in discharging into High Priority Sites, such as chalk streams by 2035.
• The first progress report on delivery against the SODRP targets will be published later this year and then every five years.
• Around 10% of existing emergency storm overflows are currently subject to permit conditions requiring Event Duration Monitors (EDM), which monitor the frequency and duration of discharges during emergency events.
• EDM coverage is being expanded: We have instructed water companies to install monitors at 50% of emergency overflows by 2030, and 100% of emergency overflows by 2035.

PHOSPHORUS:

• Excessive phosphorus is the most common cause of water bodies in England not achieving good ecological status, and this nutrient is a by-product of the wastewater treatment process.
• Excessive phosphorus and nitrogen levels in the environment can result in algal blooms, which block sunlight and can release toxins that are poisonous to fish, mammals, and birds.
• There is an Environment Act statutory target to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater by 80% by 2038 against a 2020 baseline.
• There is an interim target in the Environmental Improvement Plan of 50% by the end of January 2028. This target is part of the EIP review.
• Water companies in England released 8,340 tonnes of phosphorus into waterways in the baseline year of 2020.

SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS (SuDS):

• The Government is working to ensure that sustainable drainage systems are implemented in new developments.
• Effective implementation of SuDS, including their adoption and maintenance, can reduce the impact of new developments on sewers by up to 87%.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS (NbS):

• Nature-based solutions are increasingly being used to address water management challenges, such as flooding, drought and to treat discharges.
• Over the next five years, water companies will be running trials to see if they can work with natural processes and the ecosystem to reduce pollution, while also working to address leaks into the network.
• Constructed wetlands and wastewater treatment ponds can remove pollutants from wastewater and improve the quality before the treated water is released back into the environment.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 17 July 2025.

Two appointments and two re-appointments to the OEP Board.

Professor Elizabeth Fisher and Caroline May have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), and Professor Dan Laffoley and Dr Paul Leinster CBE have been reappointed for second terms.

Elizabeth Fisher’s and Caroline May’s new roles will run from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2029. Dan Laffoley’s and Paul Leinster’s second terms will run from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2026.

The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) was created in November 2021 under the Environment Act. It is an independent statutory body with a remit to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account in England and Northern Ireland.

Biographies

Professor Elizabeth Fisher

• Professor Elizabeth Fisher is Professor of Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.
• She has over three decades of experience as an environmental law academic and writes widely on environmental law and administrative law in national common law jurisdictions.
• She was General Editor of the Journal of Environmental Law from 2012 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2025 she held a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for a project exploring legal imagination and environmental law.
• She is a Delegate of Oxford University Press and has served as Vice Dean of the Oxford Law Faculty. She is also an Overseas Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and has been a Member of the OEP’s Advisory Group on Environmental Principles since 2023.

Caroline May

• Caroline May has been a specialist environmental  lawyer for over 35 years. She is currently head of the environment, ESG and safety practice for Europe, Middle East and Asia at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, where she has been a partner since 2006.
• She is Chair of the Law Society Climate Change Committee which produced the world’s first professional services guidance on climate change.
• She is Honorary President of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and a former Director of leading sustainability NGO, the Aldersgate Group. She sat on the National Council of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) for 6 years.
• She is a Freeman of the City of London and is listed in the Ends Power List 2024, as a Green Ambassador for the UK by Legal 500, and in the Guide to the World’s Leading Environmental Lawyers.

Professor Dan Laffoley

• Professor Dan Laffoley is a scientist, communicator, explorer and marine biologist, with over four decades of experience in the UK, Europe and around the world.  He is a UK and international expert on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and conservation.
• He is Emeritus Marine Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas responsible for global targets and guidance on ocean protection.
• Prior to that he led the development and scale-up of the marine conservation work of Natural England and English Nature. He has been responsible for the creation of many global, European and UK public and private sector partnerships, alliances and frameworks that underpin modern-day marine conservation.
• This work includes creating the concept behind Blue Carbon, scaling up knowledge and action on ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation, scaling-up work on marine World Heritage and conservation of the High Seas, and various global guidance on implementing MPAs and marine spatial planning.

Dr Paul Leinster CBE

• Dr Paul Leinster CBE has over 40 years of practical experience in environmental management, science, policy and regulatory development and implementation in the private and public sectors.
• He is Chair of Water Resources East, the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group, the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership, the Great Ouse Rivers Trust, and the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and is a Board Member of Delphic HSE.
• He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University where from October 2015 to December 2020 he was Professor of Environmental Assessment and was a Member of the Government’s Natural Capital Committee.
• Immediately prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Environment Agency for more than seven years. Prior to joining the EA in 1998 he worked for more than 20 years in the private sector.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 15 July 2025.

National Drought Group steps up operational response and asks people to play their part in managing the drought and use water wisely.

The National Drought Group (NDG) met today (15 July) as a drought is declared in the West and East Midlands. Dry weather continues to impact water resources across England requiring water companies to take action to manage demand with the public being urged to use water wisely.

Since the group last met on 5 June, the situation has deteriorated, with further areas, including the West and East Midlands, now officially in drought and recently three more areas moved into prolonged dry weather status (Lincs and Northants, East Anglia, and Thames area). A hosepipe ban is set to be introduced from 22nd July by Thames Water following a period of prolonged dry weather in the area.

Across England, rainfall was 20% less than long term average for June. June was also the hottest on record for England, with two heatwaves driving unusually high demand for water. Reservoir levels continue to fall, with overall storage across England at 75.6% and at 53.8% in Yorkshire necessitating a Temporary Use Ban (TUB).

The National Drought Group heard that without further substantial rain, some water companies may need to implement further drought measures, including more Temporary Use Bans (TUBs) to conserve supplies. The Environment Agency expects and will ensure that water companies follow their drought management plans. Water companies need to step up their work to fix leaks and adjust their operations to conserve water.

The public is being asked to think about how they use water at home and in the garden, and to comply with any local restrictions. The less water you use at the home, the more water there is in your local environment.  The National Drought Group is also asking recreational water users – such as anglers, swimmers, and boaters to remain vigilant and report any environmental issues they see, such as fish in distress, acting as important eyes and ears on the ground.

Farmers are using water efficiently, supporting one another, and looking to trade water and welcome the support from the Environment Agency. However, without further rain, the agricultural community are facing a range of challenges due to the dry weather including concerns about irrigation reservoir levels. It is likely that yields will be lower than last year, particularly non-irrigated grains and straw

Environment Agency teams are out on the ground actively monitoring river levels, with staff working with the water sector to ensure there is enough water for the people and the environment.  Teams are also supporting farmers and abstractors with advice on how to manage abstraction during prolonged dry weather and low flows.  Fisheries teams are responding where necessary to protect fish which are struggling due to reduced oxygen or moving them if the river has dried up and they have become stranded.

Impacts across wildlife away from rivers and reservoirs have been seen since March. Wildfires, drying up wetlands and coastal sites, with the loss of breeding seasons for rare species have all been seen.

Helen Wakeham, Environment Agency Director for Water and National Drought Group chair, said:

This has been the driest start to the year since 1976, and we need to make sure our water supplies can sustain us through the summer.

Today I have asked all the partners who make up the national drought group to step up their operational response to manage the drought and use water wisely. Environment Agency teams are out on the ground actively monitoring river levels and working to ensure there is enough water for the people and the environment.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

I have asked the National Drought Group to step up its response to ensure we are successfully managing the impacts of ongoing dry weather. Water companies must now take action to follow their drought plans – I will hold them to account if they delay.

We face a growing water shortage in the next decade. That’s why we are pushing ahead with urgent water reforms under our Plan for Change, which includes £104 billion of private investment to build nine reservoirs and new pipes to cut leaks.

Dr Will Lang, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said:

Although some areas saw rainfall at the start of July,  for many the month so far has been fairly dry, continuing a pattern seen through spring and June. We’ve now recorded our third heatwave of the summer and following a period of fresher, more unsettled conditions it’s likely to turn warmer and more humid again across many parts of England later this week. There’s also the possibility of heavy, thundery showers for some places too.

It does look as though we’ll see typical changeable weather during the latter third of July and into early August with a mix of rain, showers. Confidence in details inevitably gets lower, the further ahead we look, but this would be consistent with our seasonal expectations.

The National Drought Group – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, farmers, CRT, angling groups and conservation experts. With further warm, dry weather expected, the NDG will continue to meet regularly to coordinate the national response and safeguard water supplies for people, agriculture, and the environment.