Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the combustion of synthetic fuels or biofuels of similar chemical composition to fossil kerosene has the same net radiative forcing effect as burning fossil kerosene when used as aviation fuel.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Aviation has climate impacts from both CO2 emissions and other (non-CO2) emissions, that need to be addressed. The impact of CO2 emissions can be quantified, while scientific evidence suggests that non-CO2 impacts from aviation currently represent two thirds of the net effective radiative forcing (ERF). However, this is not a fixed number and is scenario dependent, and there are large uncertainties that exist over the magnitude of non-CO2 impacts on the climate.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can deliver significant greenhouse emission savings. Scientific evidence suggests that SAF could also have a positive impact in reducing non-CO2 emission impacts. Recent research indicates that SAF can produce 50-70% fewer soot particles, which could reduce the overall warming effect of contrails.
Through the Jet Zero Strategy, we aim to address non-CO2 emissions by better developing our understanding of their impacts and potential mitigations.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they used in the development of the Jet Zero strategy; and in gathering any such evidence, what assessment they made of the risk that sustainable aviation fuels may not have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions in the medium term.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Jet Zero Strategy was developed considering a wide range of evidence including over 1,500 responses to the Jet Zero Consultation, launched in July 2021, and the Jet Zero: Further Technical Consultation which was published in March 2022. We received consultation responses from members of the public, and a broad spectrum of organisations including from the aviation and aerospace industries, NGOs and environmental groups.
Alongside consultation responses, we considered external evidence produced domestically and internationally, including from the UK Climate Change Committee, the World Economic Forum, the International Council on Clean Transportation, the European Union, the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
This evidence informed policy development, as well as the modelling of four scenarios each with a different mix of technologies to illustrate alternative pathways for reaching net zero aviation by 2050. Within these scenarios, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) account for up to 10% emissions reductions in 2030, and up to 32% in 2040, demonstrating the potential impact of SAF in the medium-term. The range of scenarios modelled aims to reflect the range of potential outcomes, recognising the current early stages of development of new fuels and technologies.
To support the development of a UK SAF industry, through the Jet Zero Strategy we committed to putting a SAF mandate in place with a target of at least 10% SAF in the UK jet fuel mix by 2030; and having at least five UK SAF plants under construction, supported through our £165 million advanced fuel competition.
The nascent nature of decarbonisation technologies means that we do not yet know the optimal technological mix for achieving Jet Zero. We have therefore committed to reviewing our approach every five years and adapting our Strategy if necessary.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Benyon on 24 May 2021 (HL Deb col 814), what steps they have taken to engage with public access stakeholders in the design of Environmental Land Management policy.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
HM Government is a great supporter of the health and wellbeing benefits that access to the countryside can bring. As articulated in the 25 Year Environment Plan, public access to the countryside provides a huge range of benefits, including improving physical and mental health and supporting local communities and economies. HM Government supports educational activities that aim to provide access onto farms for the wider public and school children through grants available in Countryside Stewardship. This includes funding farmers for hosting school pupils and care farming clients to engage with farming and the environment, as well as funding for training to enable an agreement holder to carry out enhanced educational experiences.
We are considering how best to maintain investment in public access as part of our future schemes. The teams responsible for developing the options for future schemes have been engaging with the quarterly Access and Engagement with Nature Stakeholder Forum, and will continue to do so. In addition to the quarterly forum, Defra officials will be holding an engagement session dedicated to the discussion of Environmental Land Management with public access stakeholders in November.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Benyon on 24 May 2021 (HL Deb col 814), whether future Environmental Land Management schemes will include options for farmers and land managers to receive financial assistance for improving public access to the countryside.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
HM Government is a great supporter of the health and wellbeing benefits that access to the countryside can bring. As articulated in the 25 Year Environment Plan, public access to the countryside provides a huge range of benefits, including improving physical and mental health and supporting local communities and economies. HM Government supports educational activities that aim to provide access onto farms for the wider public and school children through grants available in Countryside Stewardship. This includes funding farmers for hosting school pupils and care farming clients to engage with farming and the environment, as well as funding for training to enable an agreement holder to carry out enhanced educational experiences.
We are considering how best to maintain investment in public access as part of our future schemes. The teams responsible for developing the options for future schemes have been engaging with the quarterly Access and Engagement with Nature Stakeholder Forum, and will continue to do so. In addition to the quarterly forum, Defra officials will be holding an engagement session dedicated to the discussion of Environmental Land Management with public access stakeholders in November.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority relating to the withdrawal of some bus services in that area.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government regularly engages with bus operators and Local Transport Authorities regarding the provision of bus services in England. Departmental officials have been in contact with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to outline the support on offer from the Department to the Local Transport Authority regarding the withdrawal of bus services in the area and to understand how the Combined Authority intends to address this.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 9 November (HL3455), when they now expect to respond to the proposal under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 made by Weymouth Town Council in December 2019 for the dependent carer's allowance to be extended to parish and town councils.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
The Government is keen to ensure that local communities are well represented in local authorities, and that all levels of local government are supported to create thriving local democracies.
We are considering this matter and will respond to Weymouth Town Council's proposal in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to launch the review of neighbourhood governance referred to on page 215 of their Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published on 2 February.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
As set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, the UK Government is committed to making it easier for local people to come together to set local priorities and improve their places. The Review of Neighbourhood Governance in England will examine the effectiveness of current arrangements including the role and functions of parish councils, and how to make them quicker and easier to establish. As part of the review, we will engage with communities and representative bodies. Further detail on plans for the review will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to work with the National Association of Local Councils (1) to raise public awareness of parish and town council elections in 2023, and (2) to encourage more people to stand for election to improve the diversity of councillors.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Elections are essential for good local democracy. Parish and town council elections are delivered by the principal local authorities for their areas, who will communicate with local electorates on forthcoming elections as they consider appropriate. They are supported in this by the independent Electoral Commission, who, as well as running national awareness campaigns, produce resources and materials to improve public understanding of all elections, available for use by local authorities
As part of a forthcoming Review of Neighbourhood Governance announced in the Levelling Up White Paper, we will be reviewing the effectiveness of current neighbourhood governance including parish and town councils. Through the review, we want to make it easier for people to participate and shape the future of their neighbourhoods.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sector support funding for local government improvement they have provided through a grant directly to (1) the Local Government Association, and (2) the National Association of Local Councils, in the financial years (a) 2019–20, (b) 2020–21, (c) 2021–22, and (d) 2022–23.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
DLUHC granted the Local Government Association £19.2 million in 2019-20, £19.2 million in 2020-21, £18.8 million in 2021-22 and £18 million in 2022-23, to deliver local government sector support programmes.
No sector support grants for local government improvement were provided by DLUHC to the National Association of Local Councils during this period.
The Levelling Up White Paper outlines the UK Government's commitment to establish a Neighbourhood Governance Review. This will explore the current effectiveness of neighbourhood governance models and how they can be strengthened, including the role of town and parish councils.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (1) ministers, and (2) officials, to visit parish and town councils to improve their understanding of the councils’ work and challenges.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Ministers and officials regularly visit communities across the UK, to hear from a range of voices from all tiers of government, the public and private sectors, and community and voluntary groups
In the Levelling Up White Paper the UK Government committed to a Review of Neighbourhood Governance, including the role and functions of parish councils. This will look at how to make it easier for local people to come together to set local priorities and shape the future of their neighbourhoods. As part of this work, we will want to hear from a range of parish councils about their work and the challenges they face.