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Threads / Sludge to Agriculture Regulatory Reform / Timeline

Sludge to Agriculture Regulatory Reform

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Environment Agency are reforming the regulatory framework for recycling sewage sludge and effluent in agriculture, including new rules for marketing fertilising products and establishing a single water regulator to consolidate functions currently split across Natural England, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The government plans to publish a transition plan for these reforms in 2026, with the aim of ensuring independent scrutiny and auditing while managing farmer compliance complexity.

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2026

27 events
29 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of regulation introduced since 2019 on the food and d

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of regulation introduced since 2019 on the food and drink supply chain, including in farming, …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of excluding UK recyclate from the Single Use Plastics Directive on (a) th

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of excluding UK recyclate from the Single Use Plastics Directive on (a) the environment and (b) the plastics …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the war in the Middle East on the cost of fertiliser for farmers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the war in the Middle East on the cost of fertiliser for farmers.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to review the regulatory framework governing effluent recycling to ensure independent scrutiny and auditing of

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to review the regulatory framework governing effluent recycling to ensure independent scrutiny and auditing of any future plant, in line with international practice.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the level of customer engagement undertaken by Southern Water and Portsmouth Water on the a

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the level of customer engagement undertaken by Southern Water and Portsmouth Water on the acceptability of effluent recycling, and whether she …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the supply of British grown cauliflower and other brassicas in spring 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the supply of British grown cauliflower and other brassicas in spring 2026.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent changes in the cost of fertiliser on farmers in (a) Newcastle-unde

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent changes in the cost of fertiliser on farmers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, publ

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, published on 14 April 2026, what her planned timeline …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce any short-term financial support for farmers to mitigate rising fuel costs in 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce any short-term financial support for farmers to mitigate rising fuel costs in 2026.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
28 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rising fertiliser costs on (a) farm profitability and (b) food

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rising fertiliser costs on (a) farm profitability and (b) food security.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Environment Agency requiring National Highways to apply for permits t

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Environment Agency requiring National Highways to apply for permits to operate outfalls into the River Lune.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Apr 2026 | Written question Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the deliverability of the Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project within the propose

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the deliverability of the Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project within the proposed timescale.

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
19 Mar 2026 | Consultation (open) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Northern Ireland Executive Scottish Government Welsh Government linked

Marketing fertilising products in the UK: regulatory reform — consultation opened

The UK government, the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive (collectively referred to as ‘all four governments’) have worked together to produce a consultation and call for evidence on modernising fertilisers legislation.

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19 Mar 2026 | Consultation (open) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

UK fertilisers: regulatory reform — consultation opened

The United Kingdom (UK) government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive (referred to collectively as ‘all four governments’) have worked together to produce this consultation and call for evidence, which focuses on proposals to repeal existi

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2024

4 events

2023

2 events

2022

1 event

2021

1 event
19 Oct 2021 | Announcement Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs linked

Soil Health Action Plan for England

UIN: HLWS314 My Hon Friend Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Domestic Environment) (Rebecca Pow) has made the following Statement.This statement follows the recent announcement made by my Noble Friend Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 8 September 2...

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2015

1 event