Gregory Stafford MP: written questions
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025
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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.
20 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Landfill: ScotlandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60347More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he is having with his Scottish Government on the timeline for its 31 December 2025 landfill ban; and whether he has received any formal request from the Scottish Gover
Answer: Defra regularly engages with colleagues in the Devolved Governments on resources and waste policy. However, resources and waste policy is a devolved matter and the decision to ban biodegradable waste to landfill in Scotland is a matter for Scottish Govern...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: NationalisationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered public ownership as a potential outcome under the special administration regime in circumstances where a regulated water company is found to be in
Answer: The purposes of a Special Administration Regime (SAR) are set out in legislation. Government stands ready to intervene to ensure the continued provision of vital public services – through the application for a SAR – should this be required. It is for the ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRecycling: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using AI technologies in the national recycling system for (a) waste separation and (b) material recovery.
Answer: The Government has not conducted a specific assessment of use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support recycling in England. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) conducts ongoing engagement with local auth...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFires: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take legislative steps to regulate bonfires.
Answer: At this present time, we are not planning any new measures restricting bonfires. Government guidance on the rules about garden bonfires is available at: https://www.gov.uk/garden-bonfires-rules.
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: ClosuresDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52818 on Slaughterhouses: Closures, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to slaughter facilities for livestock prod
Answer: The provision of and access to abattoir facilities is a matter for individual business. However, Defra recognises the importance to livestock producers across England of having access to smaller abattoirs who provide local slaughter facilities particularl...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMeat: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to incorporate the needs of small-scale meat (a) producers and (b) processors into his Department's (i) food strategy and (ii) future rural support programmes.
Answer: Developing a food strategy is not a job for the Government alone. We are forming a coalition with the food sector, academics and charities, citizens, and key thinkers to pool our collective ideas, influence, and effort. As part of our engagement, we are h...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: ClosuresDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has identified geographic regions where the closure of small abattoirs has resulted in livestock producers not having adequate access to slaughter facilities.
Answer: Defra recognises the vital role small and medium sized abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient, competitive food supply chain. Defra works closely with the industry through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and t...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: Veterinary ServicesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a five per cent rule to exempt low-throughput abattoirs from full-time veterinary oversight requirements
Answer: Defra remains committed to identifying potential opportunities to ease regulatory and/or administrative burdens that apply to smaller abattoirs. This includes the livestock unit regulatory flexibility (5% rule). Working closely with the Devolved Governmen...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: Industrial DisputesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46644More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has contingency plans for a national bin strike.
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for managing industrial relations and the impacts of any potential industrial action.
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBourne Wood: ParkingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46641More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage Forestry England to introduce disabled parking spaces in the Bourne Woods car park, Surrey.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 November 2024, UIN 12353.
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPoultry: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications have been received from commercial laying hen and pullet keepers for the Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant in England.
Answer: The deadline for online applications was the 18 September 2024. The Rural Payments Agency received 103 applications. The deadline for full applications is 28 April 2026. As of 22 April 25, one full application has been received. Checks to confirm eligibil...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the cost of extended producer responsibility fees in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4th April 2025, UIN 42346.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Feed: 3-Nitrooxypropanol and KelpDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) banning the use of Bovaer and (b) allowing the use of Kelp.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency has advised milk from cows given Bovaer is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone a rigorous safety assessment and is approved for use in Great Britain. Regulation of feed additives and materials, such as Kelp, is the responsibility...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: TaxationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37073More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) extended producer responsibility fees and (b) other tax increases on the viability of UK breweries.
Answer: The 2024 pEPR impact assessment can be found here.The impact assessment estimated the pEPR producer fees would generate over £1 billion annually to support local authority collection and disposal services, including recycling services. We expect Greenhous...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the findings of the consultation entitled Reform of the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, published on 12 November 2024.
Answer: The consultation on Reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 closed on 23 December 2024. We are currently analysing responses and evaluating how any proposed changes may impact the application and designation process. We will issue a formal governmen...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMilkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) banning the use of Bovaer and (b) allowing the use of Kelp in milk products.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised milk from cows given Bovaer is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone a rigorous safety assessment and is approved for use in Great Britain. Regulation of feed additives and materials, such as kelp, is the responsi...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMeat: Ritual SlaughterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that halal products are clearly marked on food labelling.
Answer: There are no regulations that require the labelling of halal meat, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, wh...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBourne Wood: ParkingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12353More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage Forestry England to introducing disabled parking spaces in the Bourne Woods car park, Surrey.
Answer: Parking in the nation’s forests is an operational matter for Forestry England. Forestry England values accessibility for all visitors. It is not currently able to mark out designated spaces for disabled parking in some forests due to the location of these...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPlants: ImportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4516More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the adequacy of EU export regulations for preventing the importation of diseased plants into the UK.
Answer: The Trade Specialised Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, set up under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provides a platform for information sharing and discussion on each of the Parties’ import and export requirements. It is ...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDangerous Dogs: SalesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the sale of illegal dog breeds on (a) Freeads, (b) Gumtree and (c) other advertisement websites.
Answer: It is a criminal offence to sell, gift, exchange, advertise or offer for sale any prohibited dog breeds. The maximum penalty for doing so is up to six months in prison and or an unlimited fine. The Government has strongly encouraged all online selling sit...
Answered 27 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
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