Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Net zero policy tracker: March 2023 update, published by Green Alliance on 17 March; and in particular, the finding that only 28 per cent of emissions reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 are covered by confirmed policies.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Net Zero Growth Plan sets out the package that will meet carbon budgets. The Government has met every Carbon Budget to date and through the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan has set out quantified proposals and policies to exceed Carbon Budgets 4 and 5 and 97% of Carbon Budget 6.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to public bodies of the oil spill in Poole.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The Environment Agency (EA), Natural England (NE), Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) amongst others have been involved in responding to the oil spill in Poole Harbour. Public agencies will be monitoring their excess costs throughout the response and recovery operations following the oil spill. As these operations are on-going, final estimates are not available; however, when possible, costs will be recovered from the polluter.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in adapting England to climate change; and what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee’s report Investment for a well-adapted UK, published on 1 February.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The Government welcomes the Climate Change Committee’s recent adaptation progress report for England. We will consider the report’s findings as we develop a third National Adaptation Programme which addresses all 61 risks and opportunities identified in the Government’s third Climate Change Risk Assessment. Climate adaptation is mainstreamed across Government, which means that all Government policies and programmes need to consider the risks that climate change poses to their successful delivery and outcomes.
We also welcome the Climate Change Committee’s latest report “investment for a well-adapted UK”, and the Government assessed the recommendations. The recently published Green Finance Strategy sets out plans to build a launchpad for private and public collaboration over the next 5 years to overcome barriers to investment and assist in the functioning of news markets. We will announce our approach alongside our climate adaptation finance deliverables and action plan by end of 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the international trade experience of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was deemed relevant to his new role when he was appointed to it.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The appointment of Ministers is a matter for the Prime Minister as the Sovereign's principal adviser.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to enabling local authorities to have a role, on an initial pilot basis, in allocating funding from the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme in their area.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
No specific assessment has been made. The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is operated by a private contractor on behalf of the Department. Seasonal produce is used as part of the scheme and organic produce may be used.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to a reformed School Fruit and Vegetable scheme to (1) strengthen local procurement strategies, and (2) enhance the supply of (a) seasonal, or (b) organic, produce to schools.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
No specific assessment has been made. The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is operated by a private contractor on behalf of the Department. Seasonal produce is used as part of the scheme and organic produce may be used.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential merits of enabling local or regional authorities to influence or control the allocation of School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme budgets for their area.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
No specific assessment has been made. The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is operated by a private contractor on behalf of the Department. Seasonal produce is used as part of the scheme and organic produce may be used.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace the single farm payment.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We intend to phase out untargeted Direct Payments in England by the end of 2027.
We are making a range of offers available to suit all farm types. Everything we are offering contributes to our 3 goals: supporting viable businesses; maintaining food production at its current level; and achieving animal health, welfare and climate outcomes.
We are offering a range of environmental land management schemes. In addition, we are offering other schemes and grants to help achieve our 3 goals. We launched funding for equipment, technology, and infrastructure that improves farm productivity and benefits the environment through the Farming Investment Fund.
Through the Farming Innovation Programme, we intend to unlock further innovation within the farming sector and contribute towards growth by supporting the development and adoption of new innovation by farmers and growers to ensure it can make a real difference.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government by what date the Department for Work and Pensions will resume the sharing of Healthy Start take-up data with the Department for Health and Social Care.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Opposition Whip (Lords)
DWP are working with DHSC to make data available by the end of 2022.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can provide an update on the current status of the roll-out of the environmental land management schemes; and when they expect the schemes to be fully rolled out.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The first Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot agreements started in 2021. We started to roll out core elements of the Sustainable Farming Incentive from June 2022, and we will expand those elements until we have the full offer available in 2025.
In February 2022, farmers and land managers were invited to apply for funding for Landscape Recovery, and following a competitive application process, Defra confirmed the 22 selected projects on Friday 2 September 2022. We will release more information on round 2 in due course. We will also publish more information on Local Nature Recovery by the end of the year.