Joe Robertson

The department is providing over £2.9 billion of pupil premium funding in 2024/25 to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils in England.

The criteria for pupil premium eligibility are:

• Pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals or who have been eligible in the past six years.
• Pupils who have been adopted from care or have left care.
• Children who are looked after by the local authority.

The portion of funding for looked-after children and previously looked-after children is often referred to as pupil premium plus.

Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils and schools do not have to spend this funding so that it solely benefits pupils who meet the funding criteria. Schools can direct spending where the need is greatest, including to pupils with other identified needs, such as children in kinship care. Schools can also use pupil premium on whole class approaches that will benefit all pupils such as, for example, on high quality teaching.

The department will continue to keep eligibility under review to ensure that support is targeted at those who most need it.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. The dispute proceedings are ongoing.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

The UK Government published its assessment of the ecosystem risks and benefits of a full prohibition of industrial sandeel fishing in the UK waters of the North Sea in 2023. This report, which is publicly available, includes an assessment of the impacts and benefits accruing to seabirds and other marine life.

In March 2024, and following separate public consultations, the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to sandeel fishing.

The closure shields sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations (such as kittiwakes and puffins), commercially valuable fish (such as haddock and whiting) and for marine mammals (such as porpoise and minke whales).

The UK will continue to support the ongoing monitoring of sandeel stocks in the North Sea. We will work with ICES to ensure that sufficient data are available to provide stock status information for sandeel stocks and to ensure that multispecies/ecosystem models for the North Sea still have appropriate levels of information.

The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK is defending its decision. We anticipate the tribunal will deliver its report by April 2025.

UK officials continue to engage with representatives of all Coastal States, including the EU, on fisheries management measures and policy.

At this stage, the Government has not yet finalised its assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any new announcements will be announced in the usual way.

Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to help tackle fly-tipping including fixed penalty notices and seizing vehicles. They can also prosecute which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. It is for local authorities to determine what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate in the circumstances.

We are considering whether further guidance for local authorities is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.

Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to help tackle fly-tipping including fixed penalty notices and seizing vehicles. They can also prosecute which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. It is for local authorities to determine what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate in the circumstances.

We are considering whether further guidance for local authorities is necessary with regards to fly-tipping enforcement. Any announcements on this will be made in the usual way.

As a charity organisation WRAP’s annual report and accounts detailing Defra grant funding is available from the Charity Commission on Gov.UK. WRAP is working with and engaging Local Authorities to help bring together good practice by Spring.

These documents are used to support internal decision making and therefore are not routinely published. A full impact assessment of the Simpler Recycling project is published online here: The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2025 - Impact Assessment.

The Government is expected to produce Statutory and Non-Statutory Guidance to support the primary legislation in place under the Environment Act. WRAP was requested to help pull together good practice information to support Defra deliver its set of Non-Statutory Guidance to support primary legislation in place including engagement with Local Authorities.

No. We recently issued guidance on ensuring good waste collection services from households on gov.uk, which includes guidance on residual waste collection services.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

No surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside have been conducted. However, levels of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside was assessed as part of the 2021 consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. 3095 respondents answered the question “do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to beaver reintroductions?”. 69% selected agree, while 31% selected disagree.

The Department works with WRAP on a wide range of areas to support policy development including on reducing packaging; simplifying recycling, supporting local authorities and reducing waste on plastics, textiles and food & drink.

Current littering enforcement guidance for local authorities is clear that where external contractors are used, private firms should not be able to receive greater revenue or profits just from increasing the volume of penalties and that local authorities remain responsible for the whole enforcement process, whether they contract out part of it or not.

The previous administration consulted on whether to place this guidance on a statutory footing. 35 responses were received, some of which discussed the use of private enforcement firms.

For too long, households in England have been presented with a muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections.

This Government inherited legislation that could have required households to have up to 7 bins, placing an unnecessary burden on people and businesses. We are simplifying the rules to make recycling easier for people in England, while stimulating growth and maximising environmental benefits.

Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly.

Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The Government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now. Building on existing and new legal duties, Defra has published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained.

Yes.

Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services. This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly.

As is currently the case, waste collection authorities should continue to decide collection frequency and methodology for collecting the residual (non-recyclable waste) and dry recyclable waste streams and do so in a way that meets local needs and provides value for money for the taxpayer.

The Secretary of State has not held any discussions with WRAP on the frequency of household residual bin collections by local waste collection authorities.

Defra recognises that as recycling services are expanded and improved, local authorities may want to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing best value for money in line with local need. The government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard, as they do now.

This Government has outlined its ambitions through the Plan for Change, which sets out an ambitious set of milestones - across the missions - for this Parliament. As the House would expect, the Government continually reviews its work to ensure that it is delivering the best outcomes for the people of the United Kingdom, and that its policies continue to represent the best value for the taxpayer. Public reviews will be available on Gov.uk as they are published.

The interim guidance on the consideration of the Environment Act PM2.5 targets in planning decisions aims to provide developers and planning authorities with clarity while Defra develops substantive technical guidance. As it is interim guidance, environmental principles assessments and full equality impact assessments were not required at this stage.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.

At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any decisions or updates will be communicated in due course.