Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued on whether (a) nutrient credits, (b) biodiversity net gain payments, (c) Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space payments and (d) mitigation payments under the Habitats Regulations are required for development which is covered by permitted development rights that have not been removed by Article 4 directions.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Permitted development rights (PDRs) are subject to national conditions and limitations and therefore do not remove the need to comply with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
Where a development that benefits from PDR is likely to have a significant effect on a habitats site, a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) must be carried out, and mitigation may be required. Where appropriate this could be delivered through nutrients credits or through payments which contribute towards the delivery of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space.
Further advice is available at Habitats regulations assessments: protecting a European site and via Planning Practice Guidance: When is permission required? - GOV.UK.
Government guidance confirms Biodiversity net gain (BNG) does not apply to development granted permission by General Permitted Development Order. See: Understanding biodiversity net gain - GOV.UK.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance (a) her Department and (b) Natural England has issued on whether a habitats regulation assessment screening is required for the exercise of 28 day camping allowed by permitted development rights.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Permitted development rights (PDRs) are subject to national conditions and limitations and therefore do not remove the need to comply with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
HRAs require an evaluation of whether a plan or project, including those benefiting from PDR, is likely to adversely affect any habitat site designated under the Habitats Regulations and/or its qualifying feature(s), and for any harm to be mitigated before the plan or project proceeds (unless there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest, no alternatives and necessary compensation is secured).
Guidance on the HRA process is available on Habitats regulations assessments: protecting a European site - GOV.UK, and via Planning Practice Guidance: When is permission required? - GOV.UK.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 4 July to Question 63580 on Public Houses: Recycling, if he will hold discussions with pubs on the potential impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on glass waste in their businesses in Braintree constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has worked closely with industry throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector or specific constituencies and there are no plans for Braintree-specific engagement.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on pubs.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has worked closely with industry, including the brewing and hospitality sectors, throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 statement by the British Beer and Pub Association entitled Chaotic new rules that will lead to pubs paying twice for recycling at a cost of £60 million a year - equivalent to 5,000 jobs, published on 11 March 2025, if he will (a) pause the rollout of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme and (b) make amendments to the scheme to avoid double-counting glass waste.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not intend to pause the rollout. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 came into effect on 1 January 2025, PackUK, the Scheme Administrator has been appointed, and producers have started to accrue scheme costs from the 1 April 2025.
Since Autumn 2024, the Government has been working with stakeholders, including representatives of the hospitality sector, to consider potential amendments to the definition of household packaging. At a roundtable with industry chaired by Minister Creagh on 10 June it was agreed to establish an industry led group to develop approaches to remove dual use packaging that is unlikely to end up in household waste stream from obligation. This work is now underway.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 support farmers to remain (a) competitive, (b) resilient, and (c) sustainable after the end of the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The primary responsibility for being competitive, resilient and sustainable rests with farm businesses themselves. The Sustainable Farming Incentive is an important offer, but it is part of a wider package. We remain committed to investing in environmental land management schemes. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; and we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome.
Funding from the farming budget also supports the provision of advice within the sector. The Farming Advice Service can assist farmers to review what advice and guidance is available to meet their business needs.