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Written Question
Copernicus Programme: Finance
Thursday 27th May 2021

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the UK’s financial commitment is to the EU’s Copernicus Earth programme in the (a) 2021-22 financial year and (b) each financial year to 2024-25.

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

The UK Government has welcomed the agreement in principle for the UK to continue to participate in the Copernicus component of the EU Space Programme as a third country for 2021-2027.

Formal participation will only begin once the Protocol I to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is adopted.

Once this has taken place the UK’s financial commitment will be reported in Defra’s accounts.


Written Question
Dangerous Dogs: Research
Thursday 22nd April 2021

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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 30 June 2020 to Question 64852 on the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, on what date the Government commissioned research by Middlesex University into dog attacks is planned to be published.

Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General

Middlesex University’s draft report on measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible ownership was submitted to Defra in March this year. The report is currently being peer reviewed and will be finalised in light of peer review comments. Our intention is to publish the final report later this year.


Written Question
Coal: Heating
Tuesday 10th March 2020

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what forms of smokeless coal will be permissible under changes proposed in the Air quality: using cleaner fuels for domestic burning consultation response, published 21 February 2020.

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

As stated in the Government Response published on 21 February, we want to see a move from bituminous coal to less polluting fuels in the domestic setting. We will facilitate this transition by only allowing the sale of smokeless coal (or anthracite) and low sulphur manufactured solid fuels for the purpose of domestic combustion.


Written Question
Property Development: Floods
Monday 9th March 2020

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of planning outcomes for new housing developments were in accordance with Environment Agency flood risk advice, by region, in each of the last 10 years.

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

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

As a statutory consultee in development planning, the Environment Agency (EA) advises local planning authorities and developers on how to enable climate resilient development and identify opportunities to protect and enhance the environment.

The EA provides advice on all development proposals in areas that are at (i) medium or high risk of flooding from rivers or the sea (other than minor development) (ii) within 20 metres of a Main River, (iii) within an area with critical drainage problems (other than minor development).

The EA does not make the final decision on local planning approvals and local planning authorities are responsible and accountable for approving proposals for new development in their local areas. In the majority of cases the EA’s flood risk advice is taken on board by local planning authorities.

Environment Agency performance influencing planning applications that included new homes where decisions were decided in line with our advice 2011/12-2018/19 split by Environment Agency operational hub.

Year

11-Dec

Dec-13

13/14

14/15

15/16

16/17

17/18

18/19

Grand Total

North – new homes with recorded planning decisions

3195

10539

13276

12610

8035

7934

6166

4161

65916

North - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

0

649

112

597

3

152

58

11

1582

North - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

100.0%

93.8%

99.2%

95.3%

100.0%

98.1%

99.1%

99.7%

97.6%

South East - new homes with recorded planning decisions

14912

35251

18237

26961

21498

13872

10924

10812

152467

South East - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

11

353

1072

639

26

220

42

89

2452

South East - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.9%

99.0%

94.1%

97.6%

99.9%

98.4%

99.6%

99.2%

98.4%

West and Central - new homes with recorded planning decisions

28360

20194

27105

37364

36599

20289

17598

8051

195560

West and Central - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled and partially over-ruled decisions

113

449

120

102

154

65

58

29

1090

West and Central - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.6%

97.8%

99.6%

99.7%

99.6%

99.7%

99.7%

99.6%

99.4%

Environment Agency national performance influencing planning applications that included new homes where decisions were decided in line with our advice 2011/12-2018/19

Year

11-Dec

Dec-13

13/14

14/15

15/16

16/17

17/18

18/19

Grand Total

Total new homes with recorded planning decisions

46467

65984

58618

76935

66132

42095

34688

23024

413943

Total new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

124

1451

1304

1338

183

437

158

129

5124

Average % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.7%

97.8%

97.8%

98.3%

99.7%

99.0%

99.5%

99.4%

98.8%


Written Question
Property Development: Floods
Monday 9th March 2020

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of applications for the development of new homes had planning outcomes in accordance with Environment Agency advice on flood risk, by region, in each of the last 10 years.

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

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

As a statutory consultee in development planning, the Environment Agency (EA) advises local planning authorities and developers on how to enable climate resilient development and identify opportunities to protect and enhance the environment.

The EA provides advice on all development proposals in areas that are at (i) medium or high risk of flooding from rivers or the sea (other than minor development) (ii) within 20 metres of a Main River, (iii) within an area with critical drainage problems (other than minor development).

The EA does not make the final decision on local planning approvals and local planning authorities are responsible and accountable for approving proposals for new development in their local areas. In the majority of cases the EA’s flood risk advice is taken on board by local planning authorities.

Environment Agency performance influencing planning applications that included new homes where decisions were decided in line with our advice 2011/12-2018/19 split by Environment Agency operational hub.

Year

11-Dec

Dec-13

13/14

14/15

15/16

16/17

17/18

18/19

Grand Total

North – new homes with recorded planning decisions

3195

10539

13276

12610

8035

7934

6166

4161

65916

North - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

0

649

112

597

3

152

58

11

1582

North - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

100.0%

93.8%

99.2%

95.3%

100.0%

98.1%

99.1%

99.7%

97.6%

South East - new homes with recorded planning decisions

14912

35251

18237

26961

21498

13872

10924

10812

152467

South East - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

11

353

1072

639

26

220

42

89

2452

South East - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.9%

99.0%

94.1%

97.6%

99.9%

98.4%

99.6%

99.2%

98.4%

West and Central - new homes with recorded planning decisions

28360

20194

27105

37364

36599

20289

17598

8051

195560

West and Central - Number of new homes involved with over-ruled and partially over-ruled decisions

113

449

120

102

154

65

58

29

1090

West and Central - % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.6%

97.8%

99.6%

99.7%

99.6%

99.7%

99.7%

99.6%

99.4%

Environment Agency national performance influencing planning applications that included new homes where decisions were decided in line with our advice 2011/12-2018/19

Year

11-Dec

Dec-13

13/14

14/15

15/16

16/17

17/18

18/19

Grand Total

Total new homes with recorded planning decisions

46467

65984

58618

76935

66132

42095

34688

23024

413943

Total new homes involved with over-ruled / partially over-ruled decisions

124

1451

1304

1338

183

437

158

129

5124

Average % of new homes determined in line with EA flood risk advice

99.7%

97.8%

97.8%

98.3%

99.7%

99.0%

99.5%

99.4%

98.8%


Written Question
National Parks: Road Traffic Control
Tuesday 7th March 2017

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many legal green lanes have been closed using Traffic Regulation Orders in (a) Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, (b) Broads Authority, (c) Cairngorms National Park Authority, (d) Dartmoor National Park Authority, (e) Exmoor National Park Authority, (f) Lake District National Park Authority, (g) Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority, (h) New Forest National Park Authority, (i) Northumberland National Park Authority, (j) North York Moors National Park Authority, (k) Peak District National Park Authority, (l) Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, (m) Snowdonia National Park Authority, (n) South Downs National Park Authority and (o) Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in each of the last five years.

Answered by Thérèse Coffey

Information on the use of traffic regulation orders to close legal green lanes in National Parks is not collected centrally by the Government. Such information may be requested directly from the National Parks.


Written Question
Performance Appraisal
Wednesday 15th October 2014

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials in her Department who received the (a) exceeded, (b) met and (c) must improve performance mark under the Civil Service Employment Policy Performance Management System (i) had a disability, (ii) worked full-time and (iii) worked part-time in 2013-14.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

Core Defra Performance markings split by gender, ethnicity, age, disability and working pattern for grades AA – Grade 6 for 2013-14 are still being analysed internally and have not yet been published. This data will form part of the annual Workforce Monitoring Report, which will be published on www.defra.gov.uk by 31 January 2015.


Written Question
Performance Appraisal
Wednesday 15th October 2014

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials in her Department completed the Civil Service Employment Policy Performance Management System in 2013-14; how many and what proportion of those officials received the (a) exceeded, (b) met and (c) must improve performance mark; and how many and what proportion (i) did and (ii) did not qualify for a bonus under that process.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

1865 members of staff at grades AA-G6 in Core Defra completed the Performance Management System in 2013/14.

The breakdown of markings is as follows:

Excellent - 434 (23%)

Good -1305 (70%)

Must Improve - 126 (7%)

Performance bonuses will be paid to all staff who received an ‘excellent’ marking.


Written Question
Performance Appraisal
Wednesday 15th October 2014

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials in her Department of each (a) gender, (b) ethnicity and (c) age received the Civil Service Employment Policy Performance Management System's (i) exceeded, (ii) met and (iii) must improve performance mark in 2013-14.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

Core Defra Performance markings split by gender, ethnicity, age, disability and working pattern for grades AA – Grade 6 for 2013-14 are still being analysed internally and have not yet been published. This data will form part of the annual Workforce Monitoring Report, which will be published on www.defra.gov.uk by 31 January 2015.