Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of flooding of agricultural land on UK food security.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise that the recent period of wet weather has impacted UK agriculture. On 13 November we announced that additional financial support will be provided to rural communities, recognising the importance of preventing flooding for farmers and protecting food security.
Defra is providing a one-off £75 million Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Fund, to accelerate IDBs’ recovery from the winter 2023 -24 storms and to modernise and upgrade assets.
More than 12,700 farmers impacted by the severe wet weather, including Storms Babet and Henk, between October 2023 and March 2024, have received recovery payments totalling £57.5 million from the Farming Recovery Fund. These are one off recovery payments which will support land recovery activities such as soil remediation, recultivation and the removal of debris caused by flooding.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 assessment of the adequacy of the equality of access to public services in rural areas.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Public bodies, in exercising their statutory responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), consider the adequacy of equality of access to public services, including through the use of tools such as Equality Impact Assessments.
We are already working across Government to ensure that all policy decision making is rural proofed, which will help ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged by policy developments and their implementation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 plans to take to enhance the protection of (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Ancient Woodland Inventory, updated Planning Practice Guidance and the Standing Advice on ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees are in place to support local decision makers make informed decisions about planning applications near these habitats. Protections have been further strengthened by the Town and Country Planning Consultation Direction 2024 which includes suitable criteria and arrangements that must be followed for consulting Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary of State once a local planning authority has resolved to grant planning permission for development affecting ancient woodland.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that planning decisions should not result in the deterioration or loss of ancient woodland or ancient or veteran trees. We will continue to work to ensure our ancient woodlands and trees remain protected.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) maintain and (b) extend flooding support schemes for farmers.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are aware of the ongoing challenges farmers have been facing following the winter storms and wet weather in late 2023 and early 2024. We are committed to maintaining food production and supporting thriving farm businesses as well as protecting communities from flooding. All eligible farmers that were identified in the original fund from April have been offered payment. More information on the expanded Farming Recovery Fund will be made available soon.
The more recent flooding seen in September 2024 is not at the scale where we would expect to open the Flood Recovery Framework, Property Flood Resilience Grant of Farming Recovery Fund Schemes.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 is taking with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to manage the potential impact of housing developments on trends in the level of farm floods.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Flood risk is an important consideration in the planning system. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains.
Where development needs to be in locations where there is a risk of flooding as alternative sites are not available, local planning authorities and developers should ensure development is appropriately flood resilient and resistant, safe for its users for the development’s lifetime, and will not increase flood risk overall.
In July 2024, the Government issued a consultation inviting views on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework in order to achieve sustainable growth. The consultation, which closed on 24 September, invited views on potential improvements to planning policy for flood risk. The Government will respond in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 plans to take to upgrade sewage infrastructure in Mid Bedfordshire constituency in this Parliament.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State and I have secured agreement that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment.
There are several schemes at sewage treatment works in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency that have been or will be completed during Asset Management Period (AMP) 7 (2020 – 2025). This includes a 0.5 mg/l Phosphate limit at Marston Mortaine STW to be delivered by 22/12/2024.
A groundwater investigation into water quality at Upper Sundon has been completed. Five other works have also had investigations into storm overflows, flows within the works and storm and flow monitors installed.
Other improvements to the infrastructure, including the sewer network and at sewage treatment works will be carried out by Anglian Water through a part of their AMP. We do not have sight of this.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of sustainable drainage systems in managing flood risk on new housing developments.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Planning policy requires that Sustainable Drainage Systems are included in all new major developments, unless there is clear evidence that this would be inappropriate.
The Government is currently assessing how best to implement its ambitions on sustainable drainage, while also being mindful of the cumulative impact of new regulatory burdens on the development sector.