Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the amount of funding that will be required to meet the UK's potential obligations under the proposed UN global plastics treaty.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK is a leader on efforts to end plastic pollution. We already have a broad range of measures in place domestically that we are using, alongside ongoing industry and private sector engagement, as the basis to drive ambition across the proposed provisions of the UN Plastic Pollution Treaty. The Treaty is still under negotiation, with the UK committed to playing a leading role at the forthcoming fifth intergovernmental negotiating committee to ensure an effective treaty is agreed.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on the number of lorries turned away at Northern Ireland ports for carrying cargo incorrectly listed on their manifests.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In line with the commitments we have made, as we move to our new UK internal market system we will ensure that the only checks when goods move within the UK internal market system are those conducted by UK authorities as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks. But in order not to undermine that approach, as is the case across the UK we do not disclose the specific number or nature of interventions made by UK authorities.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Windsor Framework (Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals) Regulations 2024 on freedom of movement for people travelling with pets between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Northern Ireland Pet Travel Scheme will significantly reduce the burdens associated with the original Northern Ireland Protocol, and provides a stable and long-term footing for pet travel for those travelling with their pets within the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the UK's commitments under the United Nations Biodiversity Conference are met ahead of COP16; and what steps his Department is taking to help stop global biodiversity loss.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to delivering for nature, and taking action to meet our Environment Act targets to restore and protect our natural world. We are working towards concluding the review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) by the end of the year. We will publish a summary of findings in early 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP in spring 2025. This will play a role in framing how we will meet our domestic and international targets to help us significantly improve the natural environment in England.
The four nations of the UK and the relevant UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies worked together to submit our National Targets to the Convention on Biological Diversity on 1 August, committing us to meeting all 23 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets at home. We will publish the full UK National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in due course, detailing further delivery plans and future ambitions.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the State of Nature Partnership report entitled State of Nature Report 2023, published in September 2023, what steps he plans to take to (a) prevent further biodiversity loss and (b) support long-term biodiversity recovery.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We know Britain’s nature is in crisis. The State of Nature Report 2023 states that of species found in England, 13% are at risk of extinction from Great Britain.
This Government is committed to delivering the species abundance, species extinction and habitat creation and restoration targets set under the Environment Act in England.
We have wasted no time in launching a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) to ensure it fully supports our mission to recover nature. We will publish a summary of findings in early 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP in Spring 2025.
The species abundance target indicator measures progress against our species abundance targets and in recent years the declines have shown potential signs of levelling off. We recognise that more needs to be done to put nature firmly on the road to recovery. This is why we have announced a review to transform our water system and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas; and introduced a new deal for farmers to boost food security, restore nature and support economic growth.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK meets its 2030 nature recovery targets; and what steps he is taking to measure progress against those targets.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We know Britain’s nature is in crisis. The State of Nature Report 2023 states that of species found in England, 13% are at risk of extinction from Great Britain.
This Government is committed to delivering the species abundance, species extinction and habitat creation and restoration targets set under the Environment Act in England.
We have wasted no time in launching a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) to ensure it fully supports our mission to recover nature. We will publish a summary of findings in early 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP in Spring 2025.
The species abundance target indicator measures progress against our species abundance targets and in recent years the declines have shown potential signs of levelling off. We recognise that more needs to be done to put nature firmly on the road to recovery. This is why we have announced a review to transform our water system and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas; and introduced a new deal for farmers to boost food security, restore nature and support economic growth.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will maintain levels of spending under the agriculture budget; and what steps he is taking to ensure that changes in the level of that budget support nature recovery.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The farming budget beyond this year will be part of the Government’s spending review. The Chancellor will set out the Government’s spending plans on 30 October alongside the Budget.
The Government is committed to championing farmers while protecting the environment. We said we would provide stability for farmers and we are delivering on this commitment. We will optimise Environmental Land Management schemes so they produce the right outcomes for all farmers - such as small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms - while delivering food security and nature recovery in a just and equitable way.