To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Tree Planting: Lincolnshire
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many trees have been planted on behalf of his Department in (a) South Holland District, (b) South Kesteven District and (c) Lincolnshire since 2020.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We do not collect data on tree planting by constituency. Our England Trees Action Plan has kickstarted tree planting across England with over 4 million trees planted in 2023 and 15 million trees planted since 2020.


Written Question
Flood Control: South Holland and the Deepings
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what remediation and flood prevention work has been undertaken in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In the South Holland and the Deepings Constituency, £3.2m of Government Investment (GiA) was invested in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) schemes between 2019-20 and 2022-23 inclusive. Risk Management Authorities including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and Internal Drainage Boards work in partnership to deliver the FCERM programme. In this period, 62 properties were better protected through capital schemes. Further flood warning and mapping improvements, recovery activities after flooding in 2019-20, and cross-boundary projects and studies were delivered outside of this capital programme. The Environment Agency has spent £10,511 revenue on Flood and Coastal Risk Management Maintenance between 2019-20 and 2023-24 inclusive. Actions include culvert clearance and weed cutting to improve flood conveyance, maintaining flood defences through embankment repairs and erosion protection, and operational safety improvements and mechanical and electrical maintenance of structures. The Lincolnshire Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership provides co-ordinated management and delivery of food risk and drainage functions of all relevant organisations across Lincolnshire.


Written Question
Litter: Rural Areas
Friday 15th March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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 is taking to tackle littering in rural areas.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan set out how we will support councils across the country to take tougher action against those who litter. For example, last year we significantly raised the upper limit on fixed penalty notices from £150 to £500 and from 1 April 2024 councils will have to spend this income on enforcement or clean up activity. We have previously given district councils powers to hold the keeper of a vehicle responsible for littering offences committed from it.

Natural England refreshed the Countryside Code in 2021 which makes clear visitors’ responsibilities in protecting the environment when accessing the outdoors. This includes the need to take rubbish and food waste home, use public bins or recycle if possible.

National Highways’ recent campaign aimed to change road users’ behaviour towards littering. The campaign ran from 12 February to 10 March and road users were implored to stop littering as its deadly impact on wildlife was revealed.


Written Question
Hedgehogs: Conservation
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on the protection of hedgehogs since 2019.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has not provided funding specifically for hedgehog protection. However, the Government is committed to taking further action to conserve and recover threatened native species such as the hedgehog. In England, we have set four legally binding targets: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; then to reverse declines by 2042; to reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042. We have set out our plan to deliver on these ambitious targets, along with our other environmental targets, in the revised Environmental Improvement Plan.

The Environment Act 2021 introduced several policies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities, which will work together to support the creation and restoration of habitat that will benefit our native species. In addition, our environmental land management schemes will provide farmers, foresters and other land managers with financial support for a wide range of measures that will deliver positive benefits for species to include the hedgehog. Hedgerows are an important habitat for hedgehogs. As well as the Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes, which are funding the creation and restoration of hedgerows, the Environmental Improvement Plan has a commitment to support farmers to create or restore at least 30,000 miles of hedgerows by 2037, increasing to 45,000 miles by 2050.

In addition, Natural England is funding a three-year monitoring pilot started in 2023 through its Species Recovery Programme. This will invest over £300k in determining the population of this vulnerable and much-loved species, which is a vital part of understanding how we save it.


Written Question
Sewage: South Holland and the Deepings
Friday 8th March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many storm overflow discharges there have been in South Holland and The Deepings constituency in the last five years.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government has significantly driven up monitoring and transparency of water companies in recent years. The number of storm overflows monitored across the English network has increased from 7% in 2010 to 100% now monitored.

To improve transparency this data is now publicly available on the Government website (Event Duration Monitoring - Storm Overflows - Annual Returns - data.gov.uk). This shows the following discharges records for South Holland the Deepings:

  • In 2019, 61 discharges were recorded, all from 1 asset.
  • In 2020, 52 discharges were recorded, all from 1 asset.
  • In 2021, 267 discharges were recorded, from 7 different assets.
  • In 2022, 187 discharges were recorded, from 7 different assets.

The difference in the figures is due to the increase in the number of assets being monitored. 2023 data will be available in March this year.


Written Question
Dogs: Transport
Friday 1st March 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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 ban the non-commercial transportation of heavily pregnant dogs.

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

As outlined in our 2021 Action Plan for Animal Welfare, the Government has an ambitious agenda for animal welfare and conservation reforms, which we are taking forward during this Parliamentary session. We will continue to introduce and support legislative and non-legislative reforms where possible.

We are aware that Selaine Saxby MP has introduced a Private Members’ Bill on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets. In accordance with Parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.


Written Question
Environment Agency: Equality
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people are employed by the Environment Agency in roles relating to diversity, equality and inclusion.

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

There is a total of 9.66 full-time equivalents (FTE) currently employed by the Environment Agency in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). 8.66 are in the EDI national team (2 of which are on a temporary contract), and 1 FTE is employed as a local lead. The role of the EDI team is to implement Defra policies on EDI legislation, as the Environment Agency is bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty, which came into force in April 2011, arising from section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. At the Environment Agency, EDI resources are a supporting function and are fully integrated within all work areas of the Strategic Workforce Plan, to enable better environmental outcomes and to achieve a better representation of the community the Environment Agency serves.


Written Question
Livestock Worrying
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to farmers of dog attacks on farm animals in the last 12 months.

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

National Farmers Union (NFU) Mutual data shows that insurance claims costs of dog attacks on farm animals rose to more than £1.8 million in 2022. In 2022 the National Sheep Association reported that, on average, there was a cost of £1,232 per farmer per year as a result of livestock worrying.

The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause animals and their keepers. The Government is currently supporting a Private Members’ Bill to amend the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. The measures in the Bill will greatly strengthen the existing legislation and are vital in tackling the issue of livestock worrying.


Written Question
Hedgehogs
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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 to help increase the number of hedgehogs.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species, such as hedgehog. In England, we have set four legally binding targets; to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; then to reverse declines by 2042; to reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042; and restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042.

The Environment Act 2021 introduced several policies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities, which will work together to support the creation and restoration of habitat which will benefit native species.

In addition, our environmental land management schemes will provide farmers, foresters and other land managers with financial support to engage in a wide range of measures which will deliver positive benefits for native species, including hedgehog. For example, as hedgerows are an important habitat for hedgehogs, funding the creation, restoration and maintenance of hedgerows through the Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes, will support the recovery of the species.


Written Question
Wetlands: Conservation
Wednesday 7th February 2024

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

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 to help restore wetlands.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has made a number of commitments which will help to restore our wetland habitats. Our Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) is underpinned by our legally binding Environment Act targets, including our apex target to halt species decline by 2030, and a commitment to create or restore over 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats, including wetland habitats, by 2042. We also aim to bring 75% of our Protected Sites to favourable condition by 2042; many wetlands are Protected Sites.

The UK is a member of the international Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Across the UK, including the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, we protect 175 internationally important Ramsar wetlands, which is more than any other country. As part of our commitment under Ramsar, we have committed to establishing a UK Wetland Inventory which involves mapping our wetlands for the first time and supporting future action to protect these vital habitats.

Our England Peat Action Plan sets out a strategic framework to improve management and protection of our peatlands, which are a kind of wetland. In our Plan for Water, we acknowledge the vital role that wetlands can play in Natural flood management (NFM) and are also actively using wetlands in our proposals for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which mimic natural water flow and are designed to reduce the impact of rainfall on new developments.

Additionally, we have launched 12 landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects over the past two years, and half of them include wetland habitat elements within their wilding mosaics. These include a 60,000-hectare Nature Recovery Project focusing on the Somerset Wetlands, with the 6,140-hectare super National Nature Reserve at its heart.

We are also encouraging the delivery of wetlands through our other schemes. Recent actions announced under our Environmental Land Management schemes include increased payments for the creation and management of wetlands; for example, payment for management of fen has increased from £35 per hectare to £920 per hectare. In addition to this, our multi-million-pound Species Survival Fund grant scheme will create and restore a range of habitat types, including wetlands. Together these projects will enhance connectivity, species recovery and resilience to climate change.