Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into hedgehog ecology and conservation.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission have contributed to the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy. This strategy has identified several actions to facilitate and encourage data sharing on hedgehog ecology and conservation.
In addition, Natural England is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.
Asked by: Jessica Toale (Labour - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on reducing levels of (a) long-term and (b) short-term exposure to air pollution.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Long-term and short-term exposure to most air pollutants has reduced over the past 20 years. Significant reductions in annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter have been achieved over this period. More information on these can be found in our annual Air Quality Accredited Official Statistic publication: Air quality statistics - GOV.UK/
Asked by: Andrew Cooper (Labour - Mid Cheshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to consult young people in the development of (a) environmental policy and (b) climate-related decision-making.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises that young people are at the heart of environmental and climate-related decision making and actively considers their views and needs.
This year, Defra collaborated with the Department for Education, Policy Lab and environmental NGOs to invite young people and representative groups to participate in an online ‘Collective Intelligence’ debate to inform our review of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.
Defra also works closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, who will publish a net zero Public Participation Strategy later this year which will set out how we will empower individuals and communities to take action, whilst ensuring that policies are designed in a way that is responsive to people’s needs, including young people.
As the lead Government department for climate adaptation, we are currently developing our approach to the next National Adaptation Programme. This includes how we will engage with wider society, including with young people, about building resilience to the climate change impacts we are already experiencing.
At the international level. Defra financed the participation of two UK members of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network at COP16 in Cali Colombia in October 2024. At COP29 in 2024, we were the first national government to endorse the Universal Youth Clause in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to fund (a) rural and (b) coastal (i) infrastructure and (ii) services.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in coastal and rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural business and communities.
In addition to funding for sustainable farming and nature recovery, the Government has confirmed investment of over £1.9 billion over four years into broadband and 4G connectivity, and £2.3 billion of Local Transport Grant funding for smaller cities, towns and rural area. This funding addresses the key blockers to growth in rural areas.
On 19 May, we launched the “Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund” that will invest £360 million over the next 12 years to support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the statement by the British Beer and Pub Association entitled Chaotic new rules that will lead to pubs paying twice for recycling at a cost of £60 million a year - equivalent to 5,000 jobs, published on 11 March 2025, if he will (a) pause the rollout of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme and (b) make amendments to the scheme to avoid double-counting glass waste.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not intend to pause the rollout. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 came into effect on 1 January 2025, PackUK, the Scheme Administrator has been appointed, and producers have started to accrue scheme costs from the 1 April 2025.
Since Autumn 2024, the Government has been working with stakeholders, including representatives of the hospitality sector, to consider potential amendments to the definition of household packaging. At a roundtable with industry chaired by Minister Creagh on 10 June it was agreed to establish an industry led group to develop approaches to remove dual use packaging that is unlikely to end up in household waste stream from obligation. This work is now underway.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on pubs.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has worked closely with industry, including the brewing and hospitality sectors, throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendations of the Just one ocean policy brief entitled, Plastic chewing gum: a hidden microplastic health hazard and plastic polluter, published on 19 June 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No assessment has been made of the potential implications for policies of the recommendations made in the Just one ocean policy brief entitled, Plastic chewing gum: a hidden microplastic health hazard and plastic polluter. The Government is currently considering further actions that can be taken to address the challenges associated with single-use plastic products. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, to reduce the use of unnecessary or harmful single-use plastic products.
Jul. 03 2025
Source Page: Environment Secretary Steve Reed: Groundswell Show speechAttendance statistics Jul. 03 2025
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)Jul. 03 2025
Source Page: Wildfire checklist