Agriculture, animals, food and rural affairs
Agriculture, animals, food and rural affairs news from UK Parliament.
‘Failing’ water sector needs ‘root and branch reform’ to address culture that is ‘deaf’ to ‘crisis’
A failing water sector in which “water companies increasingly look like financial institutions rather than businesses servicing monopolised critical infrastructure” is in need of “root and branch reform”, according to a new report by Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
15 June 2025
Government agrees to publish faster response to OEP assessment, after Committee pressure
The Government has agreed to accelerate publishing its response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) annual assessment report, following pressure from the Environmental Audit Committee.
12 June 2025
Bottom trawling ban: EAC Chair comments
09 June 2025
Geopolitical competition straining peace and environmental protection in Antarctica, MPs find in new report
Geopolitical competition straining peace and environmental protection in Antarctica, MPs find in new report
08 June 2025
1.5 million new homes, and net zero by 2050: can the Government do both? Latest episode of Committee Corridor podcast tackles the housing crisis
Listen to Committee Corridor episode 4 now
04 June 2025
EFRA Committee Chair comment on KKR’s withdrawal from plans to invest in Thames Water
EFRA Committee Chair comment on KKR’s withdrawal from plans to invest in Thames Water
03 June 2025
MPs call on Government to delay changes to inheritance tax reforms until 2027
MPs call on Government to delay changes to inheritance tax reforms until 2027
15 May 2025
Unpacking The Evidence: a new podcast from the House of Lords
Fixing Our Broken Food System: a new podcast from the House of Lords exploring a public health emergency. Find out more
01 May 2025
Are MPAs fit for purpose, and how can we better plan our oceans and seas to protect precious habitats?
Government ministers will answer questions from the Environmental Audit Committee on how the UK uses its seas and oceans amid rising demand from industries spanning activities from renewable energy to fishing, and Government commitments to designate 30% of the UK’s waters as protected areas by 2030.
28 March 2025
Defra Minister to face MPs’ questions on farming, profitability and fairness in supply chains, and fisheries
The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, will appear before the EFRA Select Committee, to face MPs’ questions on their thematic inquiries on the future of farming, fairness in the food supply chain, and fisheries and the marine environment.
27 March 2025
Addressing imbalances in the UK’s food supply chain: EFRA Committee write to Minister
The EFRA Committee has today written to the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, detailing its findings so far from its inquiry into ‘Fairness in the food supply chain’.
18 March 2025
Four short debates in the Lords
Railway operators, national youth strategy, the display and retention of human body parts and biodiversity in the spotlight. Catch up
14 March 2025
EFRA Chair comments on Defra’s halting of new applications to SFI
Reacting to the news that the Government is stopping accepting new SFI applications, the Chair of the EFRA Committee, Alistair Carmichael MP, said:
12 March 2025
EFRA Chair writes to Defra Minister on the issue of protecting UK against a foot and mouth disease outbreak
Alistair Carmichael, Chair of the EFRA Committee has today written to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Baroness Hayman of Ullock, to seek answers on the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany in January.
12 March 2025
EFRA Committee publishes strategy to guide its work
The EFRA Committee today publishes a document which details its strategic principles and the policy priorities that will underpin its work over the course of this Parliament.
11 March 2025