Helen Whately 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.
18 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Fruit: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49414More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) consult and (b) inform businesses importing fruit from non-EU countries of changes to (i) inspection regimes and (ii) risk categorisation; and what discu
Answer: Changes to plant health import controls are communicated in-line with relevant international obligations, including those under the WTO-SPS agreement and International Plant Protection Convention. This includes submitting a notification to the World Trade...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFruit: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the overnight holding of perishable fruit consignments at borders on affected businesses; and what steps his Departme
Answer: For Plants and Plant Products, APHA will aim to inspect consignments within four hours of them being presented for a physical inspection. However, a small minority of fruit and vegetables are subject to 100% inspection due to the level of pest and disease...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFruit: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that importers of fresh fruit from outside the UK receive timely advance notification of border inspections.
Answer: Businesses must notify the competent authorities in advance of a consignment arriving in GB when it contains High risk or Medium A risk plants and plant products as they are subject to phytosanitary controls. Upon completion of the notification an initial...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Lithium-ion BatteriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will instruct the Environment Agency to provide information on their planned inspections of battery storage units at Cleve Hill Solar Park before they are switched on.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) does not directly regulate the batteries associated with solar power schemes; this is the remit of the Local Authority. The EA, under the planning processes, advises on various aspects associated with the building and operation...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Agency: Disclosure of InformationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45734More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to monitor the responsiveness of the Environment Agency to enquiries from hon. Members.
Answer: The Environment Agency works closely with the department at every level to ensure that the Environment Agency maintains high standards of delivery for stakeholders and the public, including when handling correspondence.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Lithium-ion BatteriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45733More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has recent discussions with the Environment Agency on their inspection plans for the battery storage units at Cleve Hill Solar Park.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) does not directly regulate the batteries associated with solar power schemes; this is the remit of the Local Authority. The EA, under the planning processes, advises on various aspects associated with the building and operation...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Lithium-ion BatteriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the Environment Agency responds to requests from the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent on battery safety at Cleve Hill Solar Park.
Answer: The Environment Agency works closely with the department at every level to ensure that the Environment Agency maintains high standards of delivery for stakeholders and the public, including when handling correspondence. Members of Parliament are encourage...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32021More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 15504 on Agriculture: Subsidies, what issues were discussed with growers.
Answer: We recognise the specific needs of the horticulture sector. Defra ministers and officials meet regularly with a variety of growers (including a number of Producer Organisation members) from across the sector to discuss a wide range of issues. This allows ...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFarmersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings (a) he and (b) Minsters from his Department have had with (i) growers and (ii) fruit growers in the last 12 months; and when did those meetings take place.
Answer: We recognise the specific needs of the horticulture sector. Defra ministers and officials meet regularly with a variety of growers (including a number of Producer Organisation members) from across the sector to discuss a wide range of issues. This allows ...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFarmersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 15461 on Agriculture: Subsidies, when officials from his Department met with growers in the last 12 months; and what type of grow
Answer: We recognise the specific needs of the horticulture sector. Defra ministers and officials meet regularly with a variety of growers (including a number of Producer Organisation members) from across the sector to discuss a wide range of issues. This allows ...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the changes to inheritance tax on the financial viability of small family farms in (a) Kent and (b) Faversham and Mid Kent cons
Answer: Assessing the impact of the new Inheritance Tax policy, which comes into force from 6 April 2026, relies on a number of factors such as ownership structure and debt levels. Without such information, which the Government does not hold at that level, area l...
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: KentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the economic contribution of farming to (a) Kent and (b) Faversham and Mid Kent constituency.
Answer: In 2023, total income from farming for Kent was £187.76 million. Total income from farming for each of the five Kent ITL3 regions was £5.16 million for Medway; £52.72 million for Kent Thames Gateway; £35.15 million for East Kent; £54.52 million for Mid Ke...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the number of farmers who will exit the sector as a result of the change to agricultural property relief in the Autumn Budget.
Answer: From 6 April 2026, the full 100% relief from inheritance tax will be restricted to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property. Above this amount, landowners will access 50% relief from inheritance tax and will pay inheritance tax ...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with producer organisations on the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and Producer Organisations and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – grown fresh produce. As part of our mission-driven Government, ...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to make a decision on the future of the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and Producer Organisations and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – grown fresh produce. As part of our mission-driven Government, ...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15461More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme beyond 31 December 2025.
Answer: The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our fruit and vegetable growers and Producer Organisations and recognises their important role in maintaining a secure supply of home – grown fresh produce. As part of our mission-driven Government, ...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBatteries: Fire PreventionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department what his Department's timetable is for its consultation into amending environmental permitting regulations to ensure that battery energy storage systems have ap
Answer: The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the...
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFresh Produce Supply Chain ReviewDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the review to increase fairness in the fresh produce supply chain.
Answer: The Government will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors, including the fresh produce supply chain. Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products and the ...
Answered 7 Oct 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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