Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Natural England, and (2) Norfolk County Council, about the proposed construction of the Norwich West Link.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)

In October 2023, the Government approved funding at Outline Business Case stage for the Norwich Western Link. This was subject to the scheme gaining the necessary planning and environmental consents. It is for the scheme promoter, Norfolk County Council, to seek those consents and to work with Natural England. The Council is still engaged in that process and has submitted a planning application for the scheme. The Council has also written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to seek clarity on the implications of the recent Natural England report for the scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Natural England report Definition of Favourable Conservation Status for barbastelle bat, published on 8 March, which placed "favourable conservation status" on barbastelle bats present in the area of the Norwich Western Link, what assessment they have made of the viability of the construction of the Norwich West Link.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)

In October 2023, the Government approved funding at Outline Business Case stage for the Norwich Western Link. This was subject to the scheme gaining the necessary planning and environmental consents. It is for the scheme promoter, Norfolk County Council, to seek those consents and to work with Natural England. The Council is still engaged in that process and has submitted a planning application for the scheme. The Council has also written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to seek clarity on the implications of the recent Natural England report for the scheme.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the theme of the forthcoming Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) being designated “Peace with Nature” by the government of Colombia, and in particular of the link between environmental breakdown and conflict internationally; and what are their objectives for COP16 regarding the relationship between humanity and nature to ensure greater global peace.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There is a clear link between climate change, nature loss, peace and security. Environmental degradation in all its forms presents an unprecedented challenge for the security of people, states and the international community. It exacerbates resource competition, food and water insecurity, displacement of people, the risk of conflict, and humanitarian and economic crises, while eroding resilience and reducing capacity to respond.

The Government is working closely with Colombia and international partners to build global ambition on nature and to ensure a successful Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 under the official theme of ‘Peace with Nature’. We are committed to promoting coordinated global action to tackle the climate and nature crises and support peace and security, including through raising international awareness of the linkages and the critical importance of halting and reversing nature loss.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefit of forest schools and similar nature-focused learning for child development.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)

Forest schools provide children with frequent opportunities for outdoor play and exploration.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow to ensure every child has the best start in life.

The EYFS framework states that providers must provide access to an outdoor play area. If that is not possible, they must ensure that outdoor activities are planned and taken on a daily basis, unless circumstances make this inappropriate, for example unsafe weather conditions. The EYFS framework also specifies that young children should develop positive values towards the environment and the natural world.

By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, such as in larger parks and spaces in the local area or through forest schools, adults can support children to develop in a number of areas, including core strength, stability, balance and spatial awareness.

The department is committed to supporting all early years settings to deliver the EYFS well, for the benefit of all children.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to meet international obligations for nature conservation, including the Ramsar Convention, the Bern Convention and the EU Birds and Habitats Directives.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK meets its obligations under the Bern Convention as well as the EU Birds and Habitats Directives through the implementation of the Conservation of Species and Habitats Regulations (2017) and the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). The UK is also an active member of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands and protects 176 Ramsar sites, more than any other country. We are playing a proactive role in preparations for the Ramsar COP15, taking place in Zimbabwe next July. The UK Government also meets our international obligations through proactive participation in other multilateral environmental agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the Convention on Migratory Species.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what their priorities are for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in Colombia in October.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK Government remains committed to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. COP16, in Cali, Colombia, will be the first opportunity to review our collective global progress against the goals and targets of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity framework agreed at COP15. Our priorities include operationalising the mechanism for sharing benefits derived from Digital genetic Sequence Information (DSI), championing an integrated approach to nature and climate as we head from COP16 to COP30 in Brazil, generating more finance for nature, and ensuring increased action is taken globally to achieve the targets agreed under the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what their policy is for licensed but undeveloped sites for offshore oil and gas drilling, and whether they plan to implement a moratorium on issuing of development consents for those sites.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Oil and gas will continue to be a key component of Britain’s energy mix. The Government is taking urgent steps to update guidance for industry in response to the Supreme Court’s Finch judgment, which requires developers to assess end use greenhouse gas emissions in Environmental Impact Assessments for new oil and gas projects. Meanwhile, we are deferring the assessment of environmental statements for development consents for offshore oil and gas projects (which have already secured a licence). The Government intends to consult on new guidance shortly, providing clarity to industry, and publish in Spring 2025, when assessments of environmental statements will resume.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint, and what plans they have to revise it.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Climate Compatibility Checkpoint was developed under a previous administration and was designed to run in advance of new oil and gas licensing rounds. There are currently no new licensing rounds planned, and we will consult later this year on the implementation of our manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.

The Government’s priority is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea, in line with our climate and legal obligations.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, in accordance with the commitment of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference Canada in 2022, before COP 16 starts in Colombia on 21 October.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The four nations of the UK and the relevant UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies worked together to submit our “National Targets” on the 1st of August, committing us to meeting all 23 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets at home. This means that our ambitious commitments to nature will be fully reflected in the global review being conducted at COP16. The UK National Targets are underpinned by a robust set of specific commitments and policies at UK and national level to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity. These will be updated as new and revised policies are introduced. But it is clear there remains much more to be done for nature’s recovery. We will publish the full UK National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in due course, detailing further delivery plans and future ambitions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of introducing a minimum floor for Universal Credit so that benefit deductions and the benefit cap do not push people into financial hardship.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are no plans to introduce a floor of this nature. However, the Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit so that it makes work pay and tackles poverty.

Universal Credit customers can approach their local authority to be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment. These can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their rental costs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Household Support Fund will be extended to sustain crisis support this winter; and if so, for how long the extension will last.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government announced funding to extend the Household Support Fund for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.

An additional £421 million has been provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.

As has been done for previous schemes, the Fund is available to County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England to provide discretionary support to those most in need towards the cost of essentials.

The Household Support Fund scheme guidance and individual funding allocations for Local Authorities have been published on Gov.uk and can be found here.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for extending support for private renters by maintaining the link between Local Housing Allowance and actual rents.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Claimants in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance regardless of the contractual rent paid.

LHA rates were restored to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024 for one year.

Decisions on LHA for future years will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, housing priorities, and the fiscal context.

Found: proposal is supported by Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Lord Deben, Baroness Hayman, Lord Krebs, the Lord

Found: BARONESS WILLIS OF SUMMERTOWN THE LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH LORD RANDALL OF UXBRIDGE LORD BERKELEY

Found: BARONESS WILLIS OF SUMMERTOWN THE LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH LORD RANDALL OF UXBRIDGE LORD BERKELEY

Found: BARONESS WILLIS OF SUMMERTOWN THE LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH LORD RANDALL OF UXBRIDGE LORD BERKELEY