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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Question 25949.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A reply is being prepared and will be issued as soon as possible.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what level of rainfall above which a water company such as Southern Water has been permitted by the Environment Agency to discharge storm sewage.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There is no fixed rainfall threshold for a storm overflow to discharge. Storm overflows may only operate as permitted, with compliance assessed case-by-case against site-specific rainfall, flow and network conditions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many deaths were attributable to ozone, fine particular matter (PM2.5) and PM10 during each of the heatwaves between May and August 2026 inclusive.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that the mortality burden of air pollution is linked to 29,000-43,000 deaths annually. The ONS does not produce estimates of the number of deaths attributable to ozone, PM2.5 or PM10 during specific heatwave periods.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to answer Question 26883.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 September to PQ UIN 26883.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what warnings were issued to military personnel on endurance or other training exercises about air pollution in the UK between May and August 2026 inclusive.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The single Services have reported no air quality or air pollution incidents between May and August 2026 that required specific warnings or restrictions to be issued to military personnel undertaking endurance or other training exercises in the UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to UIN 25951, whether additional local monitoring data gathered by cities and towns in England includes monitoring data collected by local authorities and published in their Annual Status Reports in fulfilment of their duties to monitor and assess local air quality.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The additional local monitoring data referred to in the Answer of 7 September 2026 may include monitoring data collected by local authorities in fulfilment of their local air quality duties, including data reported through Annual Status Reports. The precise scope of local authority monitoring data to be incorporated is still being finalised as the new projections are developed and will depend on data availability and modelling requirements.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many sign ups there have been to the new air quality alert service since the 30 July 2026.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

From 1 August 2026 to midday on 8 September 2026, there have been 2652 unique sign-ups to the new air quality alert service.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which reporting zones are expected to show a deterioration in air quality in 2025; and for which pollutants.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are in the process of completing the assessment of compliance under the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) and we will publish the full results in due course in line with our reporting commitments. These Results will include details of the status of air quality across all UK zones for key pollutants.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the site-specific (a) rainfall, (b) flow and (c) network conditions used to check the compliance of sewage spills from (i) Foxton Water Recycling Centre, (ii) Mogden Sewage Treatment Works, (iii) Glebe Road Sewage Pumping Station, Bowness on Windermere, (iv) Ben Rhydding Sewage Treatment Works, and (v) Tiverton Sewage Treatment Works.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency (EA) publishes rainfall data from its hydrometric monitoring network. Sewage flow data is available on request from the EA, and network condition is monitored by Ofwat. The EA assesses compliance with permits using a range of information, with enforcement action taken where breaches are identified.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the Water Transition Plan.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Government is currently considering the appropriate timing and content for a plan to ensure it meets our ambition to secure greater public control in the water sector.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which its Contract for Difference with Lynemouth Power Station complies with the Environmental Principles within the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Before agreeing the Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference with Lynemouth Power Station, the Department assessed the proposed subsidy against the requirements of the Subsidy Control Act 2022, including the energy and environmental principles. The Department also referred the proposal to the Competition and Markets Authority's Subsidy Advice Unit in accordance with the requirements of the Act and considered its recommendations before finalising its assessment. The Secretary of State concluded that the subsidy was consistent with the energy and environment principles.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to update the Great Britain list of Species of Special Concern on efforts to meet Target 6 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Species listing is an important risk-prevention tool, but listing pace has not affected Target 6 delivery. The UK’s February 2026 Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity assesses progress against national biodiversity targets and records three establishments prevented during its reporting period, meeting the target.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of introducing a regular, scheduled review of the Great Britain list of Species of Special Concern.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The list of Species of Special Concern is statutorily reviewed every six years, with the next review due in 2028. Although we cannot comment on decisions taken by previous administrations, this Government fully intends to list new species and is current in the process of considering additional species as part the GB Invasive Non-Native Species Committee.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Great Britain list of Species of Special Concern has not been updated recently.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The list of Species of Special Concern is statutorily reviewed every six years, with the next review due in 2028. Although we cannot comment on decisions taken by previous administrations, this Government fully intends to list new species and is current in the process of considering additional species as part the GB Invasive Non-Native Species Committee.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the next update to the Great Britain list of Species of Special Concern will be published.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The list of Species of Special Concern is statutorily reviewed every six years, with the next review due in 2028. Although we cannot comment on decisions taken by previous administrations, this Government fully intends to list new species and is current in the process of considering additional species as part the GB Invasive Non-Native Species Committee.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has (a) had any communication with the Environment Agency regarding Lynemouth Power Station's March 2026 derogation request and (b) made any assessment of said derogation request.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Environment Agency (EA) is an independent regulator and DESNZ is not involved in its decisions regarding any applications. DESNZ has not discussed Lynemouth’s request to extend its existing derogations with the EA.

Lynemouth’s environmental permit status, including relevant derogations at the time, were considered prior to award of the new Contract for Difference (CfD) on 8 July 2026. Lynemouth will be required to deliver continued compliance with the terms of existing and future environmental permitting, alongside the CfD generation and sustainability requirements.

Found: Barry Gardiner: We have just publicised it for you.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Chris