Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made to reduce levels of household food waste through the Waste and Resources Action Programme in the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Food waste is a financial and environmental issue, but the UK has made good progress with total food waste in the UK reducing by 14% per person between 2007 and 2015 (post-farm gate).
Household food waste accounts for around 70% of total food waste in the UK, and householders spend £15 billion every year on food that could have been eaten but ends up being thrown away.
Food waste prevention is one of the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP) key priorities. Action to reduce levels of household food waste is being taken in two ways:
Courtauld 2025 will publish interim progress results in 2019 and 2022, and final results in 2026. Quantitative data is not, therefore, currently available in relation to progress made over the last 12 months.
Over the last 12 months, WRAP’s activities to reduce household food waste have been focused on two key areas: behavioural change interventions and national communications. WRAP has developed a set of behavioural change interventions and technical changes that can work in-store and at home, which focus on people buying what they need and using what they buy. WRAP has also been increasing awareness through mini-campaigns under Love Food Hate Waste. The latest mini-campaign, ‘Chill the Fridge Out’, launched on World Food Day (16 October).
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent further decline in the population of water voles in the UK.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The water vole is a protected species, listed under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and a species identified as being of principal importance under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. As part of this, the species has a number of priority actions assigned to it, and as this is a devolved matter, the following information refers to actions in England.
Natural England is committed to the actions set out in the Species Action Plan for water voles, alongside partner organisations noted within the plan, and recently published ‘A Review of the Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals’, which identifies and confirms areas of work where continued resource should be placed to conserve and enhance water vole populations. Natural England is working with Sussex University, Brighton University, the Wildlife Trusts and People’s Trust for Endangered Species to undertake a habitat suitability mapping exercise to maximise conservation gain using a landscape scale approach. Dependent on these findings and the results of another project, with WildCru (Oxford University) and specialist water vole consultants assessing mitigation techniques used in development, Natural England is considering adapting its licensing policies with the aim of maximising conservation gain for the species at a landscape scale.
Since 2010 the Environment Agency has delivered 328 projects that included habitat creation or improvement for the benefit of water voles. It has restored 6,725 hectares and created 6,330 hectares of priority habitat in rivers, lakes and coastal waters. The Environment Agency has delivered training to relevant staff across its organisation to raise awareness of water voles and their protection, and screens its activities to ensure water voles and their habitats are protected from damage.
Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide suitable habitat for wildlife including water voles and other small mammals. Scheme options that benefit water voles include buffer strips alongside ponds, ditches, and other watercourses and fencing alongside watercourses to protect bankside vegetation.
In addition, the Forestry Commission is currently undertaking a flagship project for water voles in Kielder Forest. Having eradicated the mink there, the Forestry Commission is working with the Tyne Rivers Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the University of Aberdeen on the restoration of water voles and their habitats across the North Tyne catchment, and has already released hundreds of water voles into the area.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are planning to take to prevent the extinction of the brown hare in the UK because of a mutated version of the myxomatosis virus.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK’s brown hare population is relatively stable and not of conservation concern. Myxomatosis is endemic in rabbits and very occasionally can affect hares. There is no evidence to indicate that this disease is having a significant impact on the UK’s brown hare population at this time.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure the crime of badger baiting is ended.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a badger sett. Interference with a sett includes blocking tunnels or damaging the sett in any way.
Badger persecution (including badger baiting) is one of the UK’s six wildlife crime priorities. Each UK wildlife crime priority has a delivery group responsible for taking forward actions to gather and share intelligence to inform enforcement activities.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to protect the population of swifts in the UK and to ensure that the swift is not among those species given red list conservation priority by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds when it undertakes its next review in 2021.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Swifts, like all wild birds, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
The UK is a signatory of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which provides a global platform for the conservation of migratory animals including birds. A key aim of CMS is to agree internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout the range of migratory birds including swifts.
In the 25 Year Plan the Government outlined the steps it will take to embed an environmental net gain principle for development. As part of this, we have recently consulted on strengthening the net gain for biodiversity requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework and are currently considering proposals for consultation on a mandatory approach to net gain for biodiversity in planning policy.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent the spread of invasive non-native mosquito species, including the Asian Tiger mosquito.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The government recognises the threats posed by invasive non-native species. As part of our comprehensive Great Britain Non-native Species Strategy, we carry out horizon-scanning for new invasive non-native species likely to pose a significant risk if they arrive in the UK. We implement stringent biosecurity measures to prevent their arrival and take action to respond to sightings and rapidly eradicate new invaders where feasible.
There are several invasive non-native mosquito species that are spreading in Europe. The Asian tiger mosquito and closely related yellow fever mosquito are two of the key species that, as well as causing significant nuisance to the public, are vectors for serious diseases, such as Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika.
Public Health England has run a surveillance system for invasive mosquitoes since 2010. This includes surveillance at more than 30 United Kingdom sea and airports, at the largest used tyre importers, and at motorway service stations in south east England on the main routes from the south coast ferry ports and Eurotunnel. The surveillance combines a number of traps that detect mosquito eggs, host-seeking and blood-fed mosquitoes and larval sampling. Any findings are followed up with local authorities and appropriate control measures instituted.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent further decline in hedgehog numbers, particularly in rural areas.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is taking action to support the hedgehog.
Our 25 Year Environment Plan is committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside the protected site network, focusing on priority habitats as part of a wider set of land management changes providing extensive benefits for species such as the hedgehog.
Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide funding to restore, extend and link important habitats and boost food resources for a range of species including hedgehogs. Over 100,000 hectares of new priority habitat have been created since 2011. The scheme’s Wild Pollinators and Farm Wildlife Package funds specific management focused on improving farmland biodiversity across most farming systems. The management options for grassland, the conservation and enhancement of hedgerows and the creation and maintenance of field margins will help to provide suitable habitat for a range of species including hedgehogs.
In addition we recognise and support the work being undertaken by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, such as the Hedgehog Street campaign and the 10 year hedgehog strategy. Natural England is taking action that seeks to address some of the objectives of the 10 year strategy through actions identified in the work of the Species Taxon Action Groups, which underpins Biodiversity 2020.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in formulating a new nationwide clean air plan that reduces emissions from all sources.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Good progress is being made as we continue to develop policy for the Clean Air Strategy which will be published for consultation this year.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce levels of household food waste.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Government is working with food businesses and other stakeholders under the Courtauld Commitment 2025 to develop on-pack, in-store and online information to tackle the most wasted food and drink products, agree industry-wide best practice and engage their customers on waste prevention.
WRAP also provides advice directly to consumers through the Love Food Hate Waste campaign. The campaign works with retailers and brands, local councils, businesses, and community groups to provide resources such as well researched motivational messages, food storage advice and recipes that help consumers to make best use of the food they buy.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the decline since 2012 in UK native ladybird species as a result of the invasive Harlequin ladybird, and (2) the impact of this decline on the resilience of ecosystems; and what steps they are taking to address this.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), a native of central and eastern Asia, was released for the control of pest insects across Europe from the late 1980s. It was first recorded in the UK in 2003 and considered an established species by 2005. There are no known cases of the Harlequin ladybird having been deliberately released in the UK and it is believed to have arrived through natural dispersal from Europe.
The Government has not conducted its own assessment of the decline in UK native ladybird species as a result of the Harlequin ladybird. However, research carried out by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and analysis by UK experts using records collated through the UK Ladybird Survey, indicate that the Harlequin ladybird is displacing some native ladybird species, by out-competing them for food and through direct predation. Further research is planned by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology to understand better the impact of the Harlequin ladybird on the resilience of the UK’s natural ecosystems.
The Harlequin ladybird is now widely spread across the UK, particularly in England. There are no appropriate methods for controlling the Harlequin ladybird which would not also harm native species and no effective mitigation measures that can be adopted to address their impacts. The Harlequin ladybird however, provides an important case study that has informed our response to invasions of similar non-native species.