Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

The report on the last statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), which was published in July 2023 concluded that a decision by the GCA to launch an investigation should be based upon some evidence or intelligence of non-compliance. The government will conduct the next statutory review of the GCA next year and all interested parties will have an opportunity to contribute their views.

‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations under the Agriculture Act 2020, including those which have already been introduced to cover the UK dairy sector, will be enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.

In November Energy UK, in collaboration with the Government, published a Winter 2024 Commitment for this winter which promises £500m of industry support to billpayers this winter. It also outlines how fifteen energy suppliers representing almost the entire market will continue to provide a range of financial support tailored to the needs of their customers. Together with our Warm Home Discount, eligible households who are struggling to pay their energy bills this winter will receive £1 billion of support.

We will continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced that £1 billion, including Barnett impact, will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England by a full year until 31 March 2026, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales.

The Warm Home Discount provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill and is expected to support over three million households this winter. There are currently no plans to increase the rate of the Warm Home Discount.

The UK’s self-sufficiency ratio has been stable for several decades, currently producing 62% of all the food we need, and 75% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year. UK food security is built on supply from diverse sources: strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.

UK food security is high and strengthening it by supporting our farmers and food producers is a top priority for this Government. This government will protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals; lower energy bills; use the Government purchasing power to back British produce; introduce a land-use framework, the first ever Cross-Government Rural Crime Strategy; and set up a new British Infrastructure Council.

The latest figures for 2023, as set out in the government’s official statistics, show that the UK is 53% self-sufficient for fresh vegetables and 16% self-sufficient for fruit.

Figures for England have been taken from published statistics and also calculated from data held in the WasteDataFlow web portal. The information is provided in the table below:

Table 1: Percentage of household waste by main disposal route for the past 3 years in England

Source: WasteDataFlow

The percentages above will not sum to 100% as some household waste is sent to ‘Other' treatments or to non-energy from waste (EFW) incineration. Other treatment refers to input to mechanical biological treatment (MBT), residual material recovery facilities (MRFs), refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and other plants prior to treatment and disposal.

A separate figure for reuse is not available. Household waste sent for energy recovery does not include waste sent for non EfW incineration.

The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy, a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. As part of this we will consider the role of Energy from Waste, including waste incineration, in the context of circularity, economic growth, and reaching net zero.

As we move towards a circular economy there will still be a need for the safe and sanitary management of residual waste. In accordance with the Waste Hierarchy, sending residual waste that cannot currently be prevented, prepared for reuse, or recycled to Energy from Waste plants is preferable to disposal in landfill.

Defra will publish an analysis of municipal residual waste treatment infrastructure capacity including exports, against expected future residual waste arisings in England, so we can understand what future capacity may be required following implementation of the packaging reforms. This analysis will support decision making relating to planning for new residual waste treatment infrastructure.

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) in new developments.

We must see SuDS in more developments; to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits and helping to improve water quality. It is also important to ensure that appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months.

There are many requirements that developers must comply with when designing and building new developments. For example, developers must provide funding for schools, hospitals, and other local infrastructure projects among other things.

The cumulative impact of these requirements could render some developments unviable for developers, if unchecked. The Government must be mindful of these concerns at this time, during one of the most acute housing crises in living memory.

The Government is considering how to achieve our ambitions on sustainable drainage while being mindful of the impact on developers and to ensure that we are achieving environmental protections whilst also deliver much-needed housing.

Railway 200 is a partner led initiative to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. Network Rail are leading the initiative in partnership with industry, Government and a wide range of other partners including the Heritage Railway Association. Many heritage railways are playing an active part with events planned throughout the year and advertised on the Railway 200 website under the Railway 200 banner.

The programme is encouraging all heritage railways across the country to join the celebrations with a ‘whistle off’ at midday on 1 January 2025 and Visit Britain are a key partner, encouraging more tourists to visit events throughout the year.

This government is carefully reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and will set out detailed plans in due course. These will include our plans for a disposal programme for land and property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required.

Where any land and property asset has been acquired compulsorily, or via statutory blight and is no longer required, then it will be sold subject to the Crichel Down Rules. These require government departments, under certain circumstances, to offer back surplus land to the former owner or the former owner’s successors at the current market value.

In the majority of cases, where agricultural land acquired for HS2 is not required operationally, former owners are offered the opportunity to continue to use and farm the land. This is documented by way of either a licence or Farm Business Tenancy depending on the circumstances and proposed use of the land.

We have made no assessment of the impact on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) of incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters. However, pedal cycles and Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs) do not require insurance, so they have no impact on the MIB.

The Government regularly meets with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to discuss issues around micromobility insurance.

The information requested is not held by the Department.

Statistics on road casualties reported to police, including where pedestrians are injured in collisions with pedal cycles or e-scooters, are published annually.

However, this data does not attribute causation to collisions which means that it is not possible to determine in how many cases deaths or injuries to pedestrians were the result of dangerous or careless cycling.

Those who cycle on public roads are encouraged, but not required, to take out some form of insurance, and many cyclists have insurance cover through their membership of cycling organisations. Any change requiring cyclists to have insurance before cycling on the public highway would be likely to have unintended consequences such as putting many people off cycling. This would have adverse impacts on health and congestion.

It is illegal to use privately owned e-scooters on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be hired in e-scooter trials areas. The e-scooters used in the rental trials are covered by full motor vehicle insurance policies.