Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the requirements for the training and certification of technicians in the use of alternative products during the planned transition away from fluorinated gases.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of Defra’s ongoing review of the F-gas legislation in Great Britain, we are considering proposals relating to the transition away from F-gases. We intend to go out to consultation on proposals for reforms in due course. Linked to this have been ongoing considerations for the training and certification requirements for the use alternatives to fluorinated gases.
To support this work there is ongoing engagement with stakeholders across relevant sectors. Through this engagement, Defra will ensure future policy development takes account of the technical considerations and the practical requirements of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the consultation on F gas regulation will include a section on mandatory training for flammable refrigerants.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The GB F-gas review is ongoing, and we are in the process of developing proposals for amending the F-gas legislation in Great Britain. As part of this process, we are considering requirements relating to the training and certification for the use of alternatives to fluorinated gases. We intend to go out to consultation on proposals for reform in due course. Defra officials have ongoing and valued engagement with sector stakeholders as part of the review process and have and will continue to gather incredibly useful input.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their proposed timescale for the (1) consultation, and (2) review, of F gas regulation.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Great British F-gas review is ongoing, and we are in the process of developing proposals for amending the F-gas legislation in Great Britain. We intend to go out to consultation on proposals for reform in due course. Defra officials have ongoing and valued engagement with sector stakeholders as part of the review process and have gathered incredibly useful input.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government which Department is responsible for F gas regulation training requirements.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is in the process of leading a review of the F-gas legislation in Great Britain, which includes reviewing the requirements related to training and certification in the use of fluorinated gases. The domestic regulations provide powers for authorised persons in England, Scotland and Wales to enforce the F-gas Regulation, designate certification and training bodies and include a power for appointing bodies to undertake certification, evaluation and attestation of F-gas handlers. Our GOV.UK page lists the required qualifications needed to work with F-gases in the United Kingdom:
Qualifications to work with F gas - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have with manufacturers from the heating, refrigeration and air conditioning industries on the use of F gases.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
As part of our review so far, we have engaged extensively with industry to gain valuable input on the use of F-gases and their alternatives. Any consultation on proposals for change will allow sufficient time for industry to share views on aspects such as the safety of those alternatives.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their proposed timescale for the consultation and review of F gas regulation.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We are in the process of reviewing the GB F-gas Regulation and intend to consult on proposed changes in due course.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the F gas consultation allows industry sufficient time to carry out safety checks on alternative gases.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
As part of our review so far, we have engaged extensively with industry to gain valuable input on the use of F-gases and their alternatives. Any consultation on proposals for change will allow sufficient time for industry to share views on aspects such as the safety of those alternatives.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of products where there are no viable alternatives to using F gases.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We are undertaking a review of the F-gas Regulation. Any resulting proposals for change will be based on an assessment of the viability of alternative gases to determine the extent to which we can deliver further F-gas use and emissions reductions.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the EU’s F gas regulation review; and whether they intend to keep alignment with the EU.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We will shortly be providing the House of Lords European Affairs Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland with an updated assessment of the EU’s F-gas changes.
F-gas policy is a key contributor to mitigating climate change, and we are reviewing our legislation to support delivery of our ambitious, domestic Net Zero agenda. Any changes we might propose will be focused on the needs and opportunities specific to the GB market.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why it is necessary to terminate the whole of an existing agri-environment scheme if a part of that scheme is included in an application for the new English Woodland Creation Grant Offer.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We recognise that the absence of a widely available legal route to take land out of an existing Environmental Stewardship (ES) or Countryside Stewardship (CS) into a new England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) agreement without significant/full reclaim of payments is a blocker for some woodland creation applicants. We are looking at how we may be able to transfer land in CS or ES agreement to EWCO, where this results in an environmental gain.
We are actively exploring options to find a way forward for existing agreement holders. In the meantime, the guidance in the EWCO manual remains valid. We will provide an update to potential applicants as soon as we have made tangible progress via our gov.uk pages and the Forestry Commission's e-alert. We remain committed to trebling our tree planting rates in England as part of our commitment to plant 30,000 hectares per year across the UK by the end of this Parliament.