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

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

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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Official Development Assistance has been spent on ecosystem conservation, protection and restoration and tree planting internationally in the last five years, and what proportion of Official Development Assistance is forecast to be spent in these areas in the next budget period.

Answered by Lord Benyon

Over the last five years (2018/19 - 2022/23) the UK spent £1,397 million of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on programmes that protected and restored nature, including £865 million specifically targeting forests. Between 2021/22 and 2025/26 the UK has pledged to spend at least £3 billion of our International Climate Finance (ICF) on restoring and protecting nature, including £1.5 billion on forests. Our latest results [UK International Climate Finance results 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]show that between 2011 and 2023 UK ICF has avoided 413,000 hectares of ecosystem loss, and generated or protected ecosystem services valued at £5,302,000.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what financial assistance they are providing to support projects undertaken by faith groups and others to support ecosystem conservation, protection and restoration internationally.

Answered by Lord Benyon

His Majesty's Government provides grants to a wide range of stakeholders, including those motivated by faith, to conserve and restore ecosystems internationally. For example, Defra has provided funding to faith-based organisations in Madagascar to enable rural Malagasy to raise their incomes, restore tree cover and conserve ecosystems through agroforestry.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Autumn Statement 2023, what assessment they have made of the suitability of the economic climate to enable them to return Official Development Assistance to 0.7 per cent of gross national income.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton

The government remains committed to returning to a target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA when, on a sustainable basis, the government is not borrowing for day-to-day spending and underlying debt is falling.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Communion Forest, an initiative comprising local activities of tree growing and ecosystem conservation, protection and restoration undertaken by parishes, dioceses and provinces across the Anglican Communion.

Answered by Lord Benyon

The UK Government has not made a formal assessment of the Communion Forest Initiative but would be happy to meet with representatives to hear more about their work. It is heartening to learn about this initiative from the Anglican Communion, as it echoes the importance this government places on efforts to restore and protect forests. Please thank your teams for their efforts, noting that it is important that we all are working to combat climate change and reverse forest loss.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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