Question follow-through · 70720

Biotechnology

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect UK sovereign innovation on gene editing in (a) current and (b) future trade deal discussions.

answeredDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Tabled: 29 Aug 2025
Target answer date: 2 Sept 2025
Answer: 19 Sept 2025 · 21 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Economy and business

Countryside: Fires · 27 Nov 2025

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Recorded timeline

29 Aug 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect UK sovereign innovation on gene editing in (a) current and (b) future trade deal discussions.
2 Sept 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
19 Sept 2025
Answer published
Defra has been clear, including in initial SPS agreement discussions with the EU, on the importance of supporting the use of new and innovative technologies such as precision breeding. Defra remains committed to the Precision Breeding Act 2023, and the se...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Palm Oil

10 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has provided to food manufacturers on local alternatives to palm oil.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Palm Oil

10 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the levels of palm oil used in food products sold in the UK on farmers in South Suffolk.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Palm Oil

10 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to reduce the use of palm oil in food products sold in the UK.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Electronic Training Aids: Regulation

14 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to ban the use of electric shock collars.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Countryside: Fires

27 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hectares of the English countryside have been burnt by wildfires in the last twelve months; and what the cost was in terms of (a) fighting the fires, (b) loss of economic acti

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Livestock: Animal Housing

5 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the use of cages and other confinement systems for farmed animals.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Flood Control: South Suffolk

5 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to boost flood defences in South Suffolk constituency.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Flood Control: Finance

5 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that sufficient funding for flood prevention is distributed evenly.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Food: Labelling

5 Dec 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure food and drink sold in the UK is labelled according to RSPCA standards.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Planning Permission: Biodiversity

16 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the evidential basis is for the proposed 0.2-hectare exemption from mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Planning Permission: Biodiversity

16 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the changes to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements on nature recovery in South Suffolk.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Planning Permission: Biodiversity

16 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to provide certainty for people with (a) proposals currently in the planning process and (b) planning permission already granted where Biodiversity Net Gain requ