Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to monitor and evaluate whether conservation measures delivered through the Nature Restoration Fund materially outweigh the environmental impacts of development.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Throughout an Environmental Delivery Plan’s (EDP) duration, monitoring will play a critical role in providing the scientific evidence and confidence that conservation measures are achieving the desired effect.
Natural England are required to publish reports covering an EDP’s start date to its mid-point, and its mid-point to end date. Natural England may also choose to publish a report at any other time.
These reporting requirements will provide transparency around the environmental improvements that each EDP has delivered and whether it is having the required impact.
Where monitoring shows these measures are insufficient, Natural England will ensure backup measures are deployed.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of developer contributions to be paid into the Nature Restoration Fund in each of the next five years.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) will be financed through a developer levy.
As set out in our NRF Implementation Plan, the first Environmental Delivery Plans will cover developers’ obligations related to nutrient pollution mitigation.
The overall level and profile of receipts will depend on the timing and scale of developments coming forward under each individual Environmental Delivery Plan.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support will be provided to local authorities to engage with the development and implementation of Environmental Delivery Plans.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra and Natural England will provide comprehensive guidance on the Nature Restoration Fund for Local Planning Authorities.
Natural England will also continue to work closely with Local Authorities throughout the development and implementation of Environmental Delivery Plans.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Nature Restoration Fund on the cost and viability of new housing developments.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Nature Restoration Fund will accelerate the building of homes, while unlocking the positive impact development can have in driving the recovery of protected sites and species. Environmental Delivery Plans will offer a streamlined route to discharging environmental obligations that will benefit developers.
An impact assessment of the Nature Restoration Fund covers these benefits in more detail and has been undertaken and is publicly available here.
In setting the Nature Restoration Fund levy, Natural England are required to consider matters relating to economic viability, as specified in levy regulations.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will publish annual progress reports on environmental improvements delivered through the Nature Restoration Fund.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England is required to publish organisational annual reports, which will provide a high-level view of Nature Restoration Fund progress, including the amount of money received and spent under each Environmental Delivery Plan.
These will be accompanied by Environmental Delivery Plan-specific reports published at the mid-point and end-point of an Environmental Delivery Plan. These will show the delivery of conservation measures and whether they are on track to achieve the desired positive environmental outcomes
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether developer contributions to the Nature Restoration Fund will be ring‑fenced for use within the geographic area covered by the relevant Environmental Delivery Plan.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Revenue paid into an Environmental Delivery Plan is subject to a statutory ringfence for use to implement that Environmental Delivery Plan and deliver appropriate conservation measures as outlined within that Environmental Delivery Plan.
As set out in Section 77 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act, Natural England must spend funds on conservation measures that relate to the environmental feature in relation to which the levy is charged.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that private developers of buildings used by the public meet the same accessibility standards as public bodies.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Regulations and the statutory guidance accompanying them (Approved Documents) apply to all new building work, or where existing buildings are undergoing a material redesign or refurbishment, and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. The Building Regulations (Part M) require reasonable provision for people to gain access to and use a building and its facilities.
For existing buildings, used by the public, the Equality Act 2010 places an anticipatory duty on service providers for reasonable adjustments to improve access to their premises so that nobody is placed at a substantial disadvantage.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the logistics industry to the achievement of the Modern Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government recognises the logistics industry as a critical enabler of the Modern Industrial Strategy (IS) and its wider economic growth ambitions. The IS identifies freight and logistics as a cross-cutting sector, essential to the success of the Government’s growth ambitions across the eight frontier industries.
Page 159 of the Strategy also recognises ports as a key foundational sector, providing critical inputs that enable growth across these frontier industries. This approach is supported by the National Wealth Fund, which will help unlock long-term private investment in strategically important infrastructure, including ports and associated logistics capacity, where this supports economic growth, industrial competitiveness and the transition to net zero.
Logistics therefore plays a central role in strengthening national supply chain resilience and supporting delivery of the Industrial Strategy. This contribution will be further reflected in the forthcoming plan for freight, which will set out how Government will work with industry and investors to support long-term growth.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how communities will be consulted on the design and delivery of conservation measures funded through the Nature Restoration Fund.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to working with stakeholders both throughout the development of Environmental Delivery Plans, including working closely with local planners, reviewing relevant local plans and strategies, and engaging local communities.
All Environmental Delivery Plans will be subject to a minimum 28 working-day public consultation, giving stakeholders and the local community an opportunity to comment. This ensures Environmental Delivery Plans are informed by local context and priorities whilst maintaining consistency with national standards.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what circumstances Natural England may propose that an Environmental Delivery Plan be made mandatory.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The majority of Environmental Delivery Plans are expected to be voluntary.
In exceptional circumstances it is possible for Environmental Delivery Plans to be mandatory if it is recommended by Natural England and the Secretary of State agrees that this is necessary.
Further detail on the circumstances in which Natural England may propose mandatory Environmental Delivery Plans will be set out in guidance.