Earl of Caithness

The information requested on money spent and staff resources to support development and implementation of the listed agreements and bodies is not held centrally. Compiling it would be a complex exercise incurring disproportionate costs. We have therefore provided the information that is readily available below.

As a Party or Member of these Conventions, Agreements and Bodies, the UK is required to make financial contributions to support their development and implementation. Details of the mandatory and voluntary financial contributions made will be publicly available in their financial records. The UK’s mandatory contributions to the conventions and bodies listed amount to more than £18 million since 2015[1].

The UK also implements these agreements through financing a large number of cross-cutting programmes and activities. One example is the world-renowned Darwin Initiative which delivers on multiple international commitments and on the UK’s wider ambitions for the protection of global biodiversity. The Darwin Initiative has committed £57 million since 2015.

Staff resources are in place to work directly on UK input to the listed agreements and organisations and also on programmes to implement them. Given the cyclical timetable of the global meetings of the Conventions and Agreements and the changing nature of the topics which they cover, staff resources are adjusted over time to ensure the UK is able to participate effectively in them. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately quantify the staff resources that have been involved since 2015.

The UK Government is fully committed to putting nature at the heart of our plans for tackling the interlinked global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Our departure from the EU presents an important opportunity for the UK to play a stronger global role and in some areas this will require additional resource. Efforts are underway to make sure that resources are available in order that we seize these opportunities, starting with securing an ambitious set of post-2020 global biodiversity targets at CBD COP15 and successful hosting of COP-26.

[1] Based on current exchange rates. Some subscriptions are paid in non-sterling currencies.

The information requested on money spent and staff resources to support development and implementation of the listed agreements and bodies is not held centrally. Compiling it would be a complex exercise incurring disproportionate costs. We have therefore provided the information that is readily available below.

As a Party or Member of these Conventions, Agreements and Bodies, the UK is required to make financial contributions to support their development and implementation. Details of the mandatory and voluntary financial contributions made will be publicly available in their financial records. The UK’s mandatory contributions to the conventions and bodies listed amount to more than £18 million since 2015[1].

The UK also implements these agreements through financing a large number of cross-cutting programmes and activities. One example is the world-renowned Darwin Initiative which delivers on multiple international commitments and on the UK’s wider ambitions for the protection of global biodiversity. The Darwin Initiative has committed £57 million since 2015.

Staff resources are in place to work directly on UK input to the listed agreements and organisations and also on programmes to implement them. Given the cyclical timetable of the global meetings of the Conventions and Agreements and the changing nature of the topics which they cover, staff resources are adjusted over time to ensure the UK is able to participate effectively in them. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately quantify the staff resources that have been involved since 2015.

The UK Government is fully committed to putting nature at the heart of our plans for tackling the interlinked global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Our departure from the EU presents an important opportunity for the UK to play a stronger global role and in some areas this will require additional resource. Efforts are underway to make sure that resources are available in order that we seize these opportunities, starting with securing an ambitious set of post-2020 global biodiversity targets at CBD COP15 and successful hosting of COP-26.

[1] Based on current exchange rates. Some subscriptions are paid in non-sterling currencies.

The information requested on money spent and staff resources to support development and implementation of the listed agreements and bodies is not held centrally. Compiling it would be a complex exercise incurring disproportionate costs. We have therefore provided the information that is readily available below.

As a Party or Member of these Conventions, Agreements and Bodies, the UK is required to make financial contributions to support their development and implementation. Details of the mandatory and voluntary financial contributions made will be publicly available in their financial records. The UK’s mandatory contributions to the conventions and bodies listed amount to more than £18 million since 2015[1].

The UK also implements these agreements through financing a large number of cross-cutting programmes and activities. One example is the world-renowned Darwin Initiative which delivers on multiple international commitments and on the UK’s wider ambitions for the protection of global biodiversity. The Darwin Initiative has committed £57 million since 2015.

Staff resources are in place to work directly on UK input to the listed agreements and organisations and also on programmes to implement them. Given the cyclical timetable of the global meetings of the Conventions and Agreements and the changing nature of the topics which they cover, staff resources are adjusted over time to ensure the UK is able to participate effectively in them. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately quantify the staff resources that have been involved since 2015.

The UK Government is fully committed to putting nature at the heart of our plans for tackling the interlinked global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Our departure from the EU presents an important opportunity for the UK to play a stronger global role and in some areas this will require additional resource. Efforts are underway to make sure that resources are available in order that we seize these opportunities, starting with securing an ambitious set of post-2020 global biodiversity targets at CBD COP15 and successful hosting of COP-26.

[1] Based on current exchange rates. Some subscriptions are paid in non-sterling currencies.

The latest Woodland Natural Capital Accounts were published by the Office for National Statistics in February 2020. These classify 85% of woodlands in Great Britain as in a favourable condition for tree health. They also provide information on the number of sites and felling areas under Statutory Plant Health Notices.

The UK Plant Health Risk Register contains the details of over 1,000 plant pests and pathogens which have been assessed for their potential to be damaging to the UK. 350 of these are forest pests, 17 of which are considered high priority and are tracked in an annual corporate performance indicator published by the Forestry Commission.

Deer, grey squirrels and rabbits can also prevent trees and woodlands establishing and realising their full potential.

This information is used by the Forestry Commission to assess applications for new woodlands (for timber production and other purposes). Landowners who do not include a mixture of tree species, suited to site conditions, adequately protected and resilient to known pests and disease threats, will not receive grant aid for woodland creation. In England, grants are available to help owners restock woodlands after felling due to a tree health issue, including where disease has killed ash, a broadleaf species planted for timber production in the past. The Government also works in partnership with others to reduce the negative impacts of squirrels and deer on trees.

This spring we will consult on an English Tree Strategy, including measures to support our domestic timber industry.

We are working to understand the scope for increasing UK-sourced timber in buildings, and our commitment to increase tree planting will increase the supply of domestically grown timber, reducing current reliance on imports.

Increasing the use of domestically grown timber in construction is a goal of the Clean Growth Strategy and 25 Year Plan for the Environment. This can lock up carbon in the long term and create a market for domestic timber.

Planning permission may be required to demolish a building, but if not required, the applicant may still be required to seek prior approval from the local planning authority before demolition. Where the demolition of one or more buildings is required as part of a redevelopment, details of the demolition can be included in the planning application. This will give the local planning authority the opportunity to consider demolition alongside other aspects of the development including energy efficiency. Where appropriate, the local planning authority may impose conditions on demolition if planning permission is granted.