Charlie Dewhirst MP: written questions
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025
How these years work
Our reporting years run from 4 July to 3 July, starting with the 2024 general election. They are not official parliamentary sessions. Office costs keep IPSA’s April–March financial years. Records may cover only part of a year; a missing record does not mean no work was done.
Read what this MP said, asked and contributed in Parliament.
43 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Farms: Domestic VisitsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 24563 on Farms: Domestic Visits, how many farm visits he has made since the previous Answer; and where those farms were located.
Answer: We respect the privacy of those hosting visits to farms and so are unable to share this information.
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Protected AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a target for the (a) number and (b) combined area of Marine Protected Areas.
Answer: The UK is committed to ensuring that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically repr...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordShellfish: TransportDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce regulation for the transport of live crustaceans from the UK to Europe.
Answer: The UK Government has secured a Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU, which will remove routine SPS border checks with the EU Member States, and some technical barriers to trade such as food labelling, organics, marketing standards and ...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Seafood FundDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59868More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been delivered through the UK Seafood Fund; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's exit from the EU leads to investment in small-scale British fishing
Answer: Since 2021, over £76 million has been delivered through the UK Seafood Fund. This Government remains committed to supporting the fishing industry and small-scale coastal communities. On 19 May 2025, we announced the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Grow...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFishing Vessels: LicensingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many foreign-flagged vessels are licensed to fish in UK waters; and if he will take steps to ensure that UK fishermen have full access to UK fisheries.
Answer: The UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA), overseen by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), licenses all foreign vessels fishing in UK waters. As of 2025, 1,758 foreign-flagged vessels, mainly from the EU, are licensed to operate in the UK Exclusive Ec...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure a (a) sustainable and (b) supportive approach to the fishing industry.
Answer: We are committed to the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the UK fleet and will continue to work closely with the fishing industry and coastal communities. In line with our domestic and international obligations, including those of the Fisheries ...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a long-term strategy for the fishing sector.
Answer: We recognise the calls from across the industry for a long-term strategy for the fisheries sector. We are keen to engage with stakeholders to explore this further and shape a strategic approach that supports the industry's future. Nonetheless, our investm...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: QuotasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the flexibility of fishing quotas so that fishermen can respond to changes in species abundance.
Answer: Through participating in international negotiations with other coastal States, the UK sets total allowable catches for fish stocks based on the best available scientific advice, primarily that from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research his Department is supporting to facilitate the sustainable expansion of British (a) deep-sea species, (b) aquaculture and (c) other fisheries.
Answer: Defra is committed to supporting the UK fishing industry in line with our domestic and international obligations, including those in the Fisheries Act 2020 and Joint Fisheries Statement. Defra routinely supports significant scientific research to facilita...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: Seas and OceansDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the share of fishing opportunities in UK waters for British fishers.
Answer: The new UK-EU agreement signed on 19 May ensures retention of the quota uplift agreed in the Brexit deal, which transferred part of the EU quota shares to the UK’s fleet and was worth £175m in fishing opportunities in 2025. The UK’s shares for jointly man...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFishing Vessels: Grants and Tax AllowancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he list the (a) tax reliefs and (b) grant schemes to support fishing vessel upgrades to adapt to changing (i) economic and (ii) environmental conditions.
Answer: Alongside existing tax reliefs, we are committed to supporting fishers through targeted financial schemes that enable vessel modernisation and adaptation. Available reliefs include Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA), Fuel...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing compensation schemes for fishers affected by environmental designations.
Answer: In a written statement released in January 2025 by Minister Hardy, it was recognised that the accelerating development of marine activities, including environmental protection and restoration measures such as the designation of new Marine Protected Areas,...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to support the development of fish processing facilities in coastal communities.
Answer: This Government supports the fishing industry and recognises their key role in food supply. As part of this support, Defra has reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient sea...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of investment in fish processing infrastructure.
Answer: The Government works closely with the processing sector across the UK and recognises that it is integral to the success of the wider UK seafood supply chain. The Government has supported the processing sector through a variety of initiatives, including in...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the report by Family Business UK entitled Taxing Futures: The economic and fiscal implications of chang
Answer: The Government is confident that its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The reforms reduce the ...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received from (a) the NFU, (b) the CLA , (c) Historic Houses and (d) other rural stakeholders on the economic challenges posed by the proposed inheritance t
Answer: Ministers from multiple Government departments have had several meetings with agricultural organisations on this matter since the Autumn Budget last year. In February, the Exchequer Secretary and Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs both met the N...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of a clawback mechanism as an alternative to the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Reli
Answer: This is a decision for His Majesty’s Treasury.
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35636 on Agriculture and Business: Inheritance Tax, whether his Department has requested sight of the Treasury’s modelling that conc
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 4 March 2025 to PQ 32918.
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has contributed to modelling on inheritance tax revenue expected to be raised by proposed reforms to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property R
Answer: HMT undertakes its own modelling on revenues raised by tax changes. See page 118 here Autumn Budget 2024 – HC 295. The expected revenue from changes to APR and BPR were based on HMRC data. This was independently assessed by the OBR. See page 58 here Econo...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59547More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reforms to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief on the rural economy.
Answer: The decision to reform agricultural property relief and business property relief was a difficult but necessary decision in order to restore economic stability, fix the public finances, and support public services, including in rural communities. The Gover...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWind Power: Seas and OceansDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure that fishing corridors are maintained and (b) minimise the potential impact of offshore wind developments on fishing grounds.
Answer: Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment, including fisheries. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWind Power: Seas and OceansDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Marine Protected Areas and (b) offshore wind development on (i) fishing grounds and (ii) fishermen.
Answer: Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ways for different in...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWritten QuestionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes have been made to the style guide for answering written Parliamentary Questions since July 2024; and if he will publish that style guide.
Answer: As is normal, changes are made to take into account individual ministerial preferences. Defra continues to follow the guidance set out by the Cabinet Office on GOV.UK.
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: ReviewsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the Terms of Reference for the appointment of Baroness Batters to lead a Farm Profitability Review.
Answer: The Terms of Reference for Baroness Minette Batters’ review of farm profitability were published on 7 April 2025 - Farming Profitability Review: terms of reference - GOV.UK.
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27411More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to open funding via the Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure Grant under the Animal Productivity Pathway for capital investments to improve on-farm pro
Answer: Farmers are already receiving support through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to undertake large infrastructure projects. The Rural Payments Agency recently invited eligible applicants to the Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant forward t...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
Explore activity by topic or department
Written questions by answering department
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
View as listWhat this shows and doesn't show
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →