🌊 Oral Answers to Questions

• Flood Protection Funding:
  • The government plans a public consultation in the new year to revise the flood defence funding formula, aiming to better support rural and coastal businesses.
  • Minister Emma Hardy confirmed a £60 million allocation from the farming recovery fund to aid farmers affected by severe weather last year, with £55.7 million already distributed to over 12,700 farm businesses.
  • The government aims to invest £2.4 billion in flood defences over the next two years to address the disrepair left by the previous government.
  • Concerns were raised about developers building in flood-prone areas and not disclosing risks to buyers. The Minister promised to look into giving residents and councils more power to hold developers accountable.
• Rural England Prosperity Fund:
  • The government will update the House on the Rural England Prosperity Fund after finalising budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26.
  • Discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the fund supports devolution in rural areas and addresses the 18% rural productivity gap.
• Budget Impact on Family Farms:
  • The government has committed £5 billion to the agricultural budget over the next two years, the largest budget aimed at sustainable food production and nature recovery.
  • Concerns were raised about the impact of changes to agricultural property relief and inheritance tax thresholds on family farms. The government clarified that most claimants would not be affected based on the latest data available.
  • The new government aims to improve profitability for farmers through a new deal and a 25-year roadmap.
• Biosecurity and the Animal and Plant Health Agency:
  • The government has committed £208 million to start improving the dilapidated Weybridge biosecurity facility, with plans to consider further funding in future spending reviews.
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS):
  • The Drinking Water Inspectorate currently monitors PFAS, but there are no immediate plans to put the guidance on a statutory footing. The government is working on assessing the risks and informing policy.
• Hunting Trophy Import Ban:
  • The government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies and is considering the most effective legislative approach.
  • They have also committed to extending the Ivory Act 2018 to additional species.
  • The government plans to ban trail hunting, with further details to be announced.
• Pollution of Waterways:
  • The government is taking action through the Water (Special Measures) Bill to address sewage pollution, aiming to ban undeserved bonuses for water executives and bring criminal charges against persistent offenders.
  • A review of the water sector is underway to further improve water quality, focusing on all sources of pollution, including agricultural run-off.
• Electronic Waste:
  • The government has banned single-use vapes and is increasing recycling points for electronic waste, including vapes, to address the issue of electronic waste pollution and hazards.
• River Dredging:
  • Dredging is considered as part of flood risk management but can potentially increase downstream flooding risks. There are no plans for additional dredging in Boston and Skegness at the moment.
• High-grade Agricultural Land:
  • The government plans to introduce a land use framework to protect high-grade agricultural land from threats such as urban sprawl.
• Knife Offences:
  • The government is committed to reducing knife crime, with plans for more police on the streets and a ban on zombie-style knives and machetes.
  • Efforts are being made to improve support for victims and their families, including through early intervention and youth service provision.
• Rural Crime:
  • The government is working to increase police presence in rural areas and implement laws such as the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to combat rural crime, including agricultural vehicle theft.
• Misdemeanours:
  • The government plans to increase police and prosecutor numbers to ensure effective prosecution of all crimes, including misdemeanours.
• Crown Prosecution Service Support for Victims:
  • Efforts are being made to improve victim support within the criminal justice system, including better communication and a review of victims’ rights.
• Violence Against Women and Girls:
  • The government aims to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, with plans to increase prosecution rates and introduce specialist fast-track rape courts.
• Freight Crime:
  • The government acknowledges the seriousness of freight crime and is working with law enforcement to combat it, with the CPS focusing on prosecuting serious offenders.
• People Smuggling:
  • The new Border Security Command is being established to increase prosecution rates of people smuggling, learning from counter-terror measures to enhance border security.

The session shows a moderate level of disagreement, primarily centered around policy critiques and demands for action, rather than outright conflict. Key instances of disagreement include:

• Flood Protection Funding: There is a clear disagreement over the state of flood defenses left by the previous government, as highlighted by Richard Burgon and Emma Hardy. However, the disagreement is more about critiquing past actions rather than a current policy dispute.

• Budget: Family Farms: The discussion on the autumn Budget and its impact on family farms shows disagreement, particularly on the inheritance tax changes. Victoria Atkins challenges Steve Reed strongly on this issue, citing personal tragedies and calling for data collection on suicides among farmers, which Reed counters by emphasizing the broader farming support measures his government is implementing.

• Pollution of Waterways: While there is a general call for action on reducing pollution, Ellie Chowns’s question on tackling agricultural pollution specifically highlights a need for more focused efforts, which could indicate a disagreement on the government’s allocation of resources and priorities.

• Water Bill Rises: The announcement of water bill rises leads to strong criticism from Ben Maguire and others, who demand action against water companies, indicating a disagreement on how the government is handling the issue of water company regulations and sewage dumping.

• Knife Offences: There is an expectation for stricter enforcement and action against knife crime, but the responses from Lucy Rigby indicate a willingness to address these concerns, showing less direct disagreement.

Overall, the session is characterized more by criticism of past policies and calls for more action rather than sharp disagreements on current policies, leading to a rating of 3 for disagreement.