Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 policy 62 of the Calderdale Flood Action Plan, published in October 2016, for what reasons the Environment Agency will progressively review existing burning consents with regard to moorland in Calderdale.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Calderdale Flood Action Plan is a partnership plan and Natural England has the lead responsibility for policy 62.
Natural England has a duty under the Habitat Regulations to review any consents/permissions which were issued prior to designation as a European Site. Previously there was discretion as to whether the activities covered by the consents could be tackled through incentives and/or advice rather than formally affirming, modifying or revoking the consent. This discretionary aspect has been removed and under the 2012 amendment of the Habitats Regulations 2010 (Section 23) Natural England now has the legal duty to affirm, modify or revoke any consents issued on European sites, as soon as reasonably practicable.
As part of an England-wide strategy to restore blanket bog to Favourable Conservation Status, Natural England is currently reviewing all consents on blanket bog in line with the duty above (including those which permit burning) and working with landowners to put in place sustainable management and use of these sensitive areas. This will include completing the necessary programme of capital works such as grip-blocking to restore the natural hydrology of the bog and seeding/planting of peat-forming species such as cotton grasses and sphagnum mosses.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what analysis the Environment Agency has conducted on the condition of blanket bog on moorland currently managed for grouse shooting; and the condition it believes to be optimal for slowing water flows.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
It is Natural England that has a duty under the Habitat Regulations to review any consents/permissions which were issued prior to designation as a European Site. Previously there was discretion as to whether the activities covered by the consents could be tackled through incentives and/or advice rather than formally affirming, modifying or revoking the consent. This discretionary aspect has been removed and under the 2012 amendment of the Habitats Regulations 2010 (Section 23) Natural England now has the legal duty to affirm, modify or revoke any consents issued on European sites, as soon as reasonably practicable.
As part of an England-wide strategy to restore blanket bog to Favourable Conservation Status, Natural England is currently reviewing all consents on blanket bog in line with the duty above (including those which permit burning) and working with landowners to put in place sustainable management and use of these sensitive areas. This will include completing the necessary programme of capital works such as grip-blocking to restore the natural hydrology of the bog and seeding/planting of peat-forming species such as cotton grasses and sphagnum mosses.
Blocking moorland grips (drainage channels) can slow overland flow and reduce the speed at which water enters rivers and streams, especially in small catchments and the upper reaches of larger ones.
Recent research sponsored by Defra shows that restoring moorland habitats can slow overland flow leading to delayed and reduced peak discharge in small catchments. However, it remains difficult to demonstrate the benefits of land use change in larger catchments.
Any upland land management measures introduced to help mitigate flooding need to be considered alongside a full range of other options including hard and soft engineering solutions and other floodplain management options.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was spent on flood defence schemes in the Calder Valley area in (a) 1997 to 2010, (b) 2010 to 2015; and what the projected spend on such schemes is for 2015 to 2020.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The following table shows historic and projected annual total spend on flood defence schemes in the Calder Valley area.
Schemes are allocated funding based on nationally consistent criteria. The position of a scheme in the programme will depend on the availability and timing of contributions and how its appraisal or design are progressing.
The projected funding has been allocated in current spending plans and the Government’s National Flood Resilience Review will re-examine worst case extreme weather scenarios and the resulting potential flood impacts across the country.
Total spend (Total in £k) | |
2000/01 | 175 |
2001/02 | 664 |
2002/03 | 1,480 |
2003/04 | 836 |
2004/05 | 3,798 |
2005/06 | 10,785 |
2006/07 | 5,106 |
2007/08 | 1,221 |
2008/09 | 95 |
2009/10 | 145 |
2010/11 | 537 |
2011/12 | 3,865 |
2012/13 | 5,705 |
2013/14 | 2,627 |
2014/15 | 1,086 |
2015/16 | 2,760 |
2016/17 | 2,686 |
2017/18 | 0 |
2018/19 | 200 |
2019/20 | 270 |
2020/21 | 50 |
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current projections used by the Environment Agency on the expected frequency of extreme flooding in the Calder Valley in any given year are for a (a) 1.5 , (b) two and (c) four degree rise in average temperatures.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Current research undertaken jointly by the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs suggests that corresponding to a 2 degree global average warming, rivers in the area of the Calder could see a 20% increase in typical flood flows by the 2080s compared to current levels.
The Government’s National Flood Resilience Review will re-examine worst case extreme weather scenarios and the resulting potential flood impacts across the country.