Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's timetable is for announcing future funding arrangements for the Stewardship Scheme.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We will open our improved Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) later this year. We have started inviting farmers and land managers to begin the pre-application process and have published information that sets out what farmers and land managers can do now to help prepare to apply. CSHT will initially roll out in a controlled way by invitation, so everyone gets the right level of support.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 support farmers with slurry testing to ensure correct pH levels are maintained.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Investing in proper slurry storage and management equipment is a critical step livestock farmers need to take to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution. This includes ensuring that correct pH levels are maintained prior to any application to land. We will confirm any future grant rounds in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 with water companies to (a) reduce discharge levels and (b) improve water quality in local waterways in Newbury constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) monitors water quality in the Thames catchment, including in Newbury constituency. This is set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Water quality impacts from wastewater pollution are one of the key pressures resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.
Improving water quality is a priority for the EA who are leading the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) as part of Ofwat’s 5-yearly Price Review process. The recent 2020 – 2025 cycle included investment by Thames Water to improve wastewater treatment works (including East Shefford, Boxford and Chieveley). During the 2025-2030 cycle Thames Water is expected to reduce spills from storm overflows by 29% and reduce pollution incidents by 30%. This will involve further improvements, including at Newbury, Hungerford, and East Shefford,
The EA is currently transforming its regulatory approach, developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step-change in inspections of permitted sites and associated enforcement.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 support people in Newbury constituency with the cost of their water bills.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As the independent economic regulator, Ofwat independently scrutinises water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December 2024, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.
The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support.
Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 plans to take with (a) the Environment Agency and (b) Ofwat to ensure water companies comply with the terms of their permits.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency's (EA) annual water company inspections have intensified, with 4,000 planned for the end of March 2025 already completed, and a further 10,000 inspections in 2025/26. The evidence they gather will inform future annual performance assessments, investment plans and proactive enforcement action.
The Water Special Measure Act will enable the EA to build on its biggest ever transformation in the way it regulates the water industry, enabling them to uncover more non-compliance and ultimately drive better performance. The Act will enable them to take action faster and with more impact.
Ofwat does not have a role in monitoring or enforcing individual environmental permits, that is a matter for the EA. Ofwat may have a role if a water company is breaching legal obligations that Ofwat is responsible for enforcing.
Ofwat has an on-going enforcement action against wastewater companies relating to compliance with wastewater obligations that Ofwat is responsible for enforcing, details of which can be found online: Investigation into sewage treatment works and sewerage networks.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 22 February 2025 to Question 32541 on the Chalk Stream Recovery Plan, whether any of the chalk stream projects in receipt of funding from the Government's Water Environment Improvement Fund in the 2024-25 financial year are located in the Newbury constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This financial year, there are over 45 chalk stream projects receiving funding from the Government's Water Environment Improvement Fund, each leveraging private investment and delivering on our commitment to ensure clean water for the future.
The River Shalbourne is a chalk stream within the Newbury constituency. In 2024/25 £80,000 of WEIF Capital funding was granted to Action for the River Kennet to deliver the River Shalbourne River and Floodplain Restoration project. This project restored a section of the river to more natural conditions by ‘remeandering’ (creating bends in the river) and reconnecting the river to the floodplain. These new wetlands will provide benefits including increased water storage, drought resilience and reduction of sediment and nutrient run-off. This work has addressed pressures which will support WFD (Water Framework Directive) element improvements (currently at Moderate WFD status).
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new GIS flood mapping on housebuilders' ability to secure affordable insurance for new homes.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Flood risk is an important consideration in the planning system. The Government has committed to ensure we are building more high-quality, well-designed and sustainable homes and creating places that increase climate resilience and promote nature recovery.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. Where development is necessary, and where there are no suitable sites available in areas with a lower risk of flooding, local planning authorities and developers should ensure development is appropriately flood resilient and resistant, safe for its users for the development’s lifetime, will not increase flood risk overall and will provide wider sustainability benefits.
The Environment Agency maps show the risk of flooding to areas of land although cannot assess specific risk to individual properties. They do not show where has or has not flooded before.
On the 25 March 2025, the Environment Agency intends to publish updated flood zone data on the ‘Flood map for planning’ which will support developers and planners to find the data they need to undertake flood risk assessments.
Many insurance companies use their own flood risk maps and data, alongside a combination of risk information, to determine insurance premiums.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to implement the Environmental Land Management scheme options.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.
We now have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, including over 36,00 farmers in an SFI agreement. We are continuing to progress with the launch of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, and the first farmers and land managers started the required pre-application process in January. Similarly, we are continuing to progress Landscape Recovery with the first projects moving into their implementation stages this year.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will be implemented.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.
We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months.
We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increasing SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development.
We will review the planning system holistically and consider whether further changes are required to address SuDS when we consult on further planning reform, including national policy related to decision making, in 2025.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the Chalk Stream Recovery Plan.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.
Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our holistic programme of reforms for the water sector.
Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. In 2024/2025, there are over 45 chalk stream projects receiving funding from the Government's Water Environment Improvement Fund, each leveraging private investment.