Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 20 January (HL3929), what discussions they have had with Ofwat and water companies about encouraging domestic household customers to install rainwater harvesting systems.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 20 January 2025, PQ HL3929, as no further discussions with Ofwat or water companies have taken place since.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofwat and water companies about encouraging or incentivising domestic and business customers to install rainwater harvesting systems.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises that rainwater harvesting and other forms of water reuse can play a key role in helping non-households and businesses meet the statutory water demand reduction target of 9% by March 2038. We are therefore supporting water companies and developers to deliver water efficiency through both rainwater harvesting and other forms of water reuse.
We supported Ofwat on their consultation to provide environmental incentives to developers which included considering where new technologies and water efficient practices could be integrated into buildings and developments. Ofwat reported that water reuse solutions are likely to be an important tool for improving water efficiency in the medium term.
We are also looking into allowing water companies to supply treated, non-potable water, including rainwater, for certain water demands such as toilet flushing.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks of Lord Harlech on 21 September (HL Deb col 1533), whether any companies have asked them to maintain mandatory reporting on food waste, what were those companies, and whether any such companies have offered to pay the costs of that reporting rather than using public money.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
In the 2022 consultation on improved food waste reporting, 40 companies supported introducing mandatory reporting for large businesses in England. These companies were from the manufacturing, retail, hospitality and primary production sectors. A list of respondents, excluding those who requested confidentiality, is included in the Government Response published in July 2023. If a mandatory approach were to have been taken forward, those companies in scope would be liable for the costs of reporting their food waste.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the innovation principle was not included as one of the principles in the draft environmental principles policy statement published in May 2022; and whether they will include it in the final statement.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The environmental principles in the policy statement are set out in section 17 of the recent Environment Act.
Determining which principles were included in the Act involved thorough consideration, including a public consultation and significant engagement with stakeholders. The five internationally recognised principles are the integration principle, the prevention principle, the rectification at source principle, the polluter pays principle, and the precautionary principle.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, given the absence of the innovation principle from the draft environmental principles policy statement published in May 2022, what plans they have to encourage innovation in creating a cleaner and sustainable environment.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The policy statement outlines how the five principles should be interpreted and proportionately applied when making policy. The draft policy statement recognises the importance of innovation. For example, the precautionary principle incentivises innovation by encouraging development of alternative policy options that reduce risk and uncertainty.