Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered streamlining adoption processes for (a) sewers and (b) drainage systems where (i) easements and (ii) multiple landownerships delay adoption by water companies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Almost all private sewers, lateral drains, and pumping stations built before 2011 should have been adopted by water companies. In cases where adoption has not occurred, householders are advised to contact Ofwat.
The Government is committed to using legislation to reform the water sector and will continue to do so where necessary. Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, government will examine its recommendations and how best to address the problems caused by unadopted sewerage.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps with industry to reduce prices for alcohol-free beer to improve public health.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra regularly engages with supermarkets and producers on a range of food and drink supply matters. However, it is not for HM Government to set retail food and drink prices nor to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions taken by businesses.
In the ‘Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’, the Government has committed to tackling harmful alcohol consumption through promotion of no- and low-alcohol alternatives. This includes exploration of raising the alcohol-free descriptor to 0.5%, aligning with international standards to support growth of the sector.
Alongside the plan, a large multi-year National Institute for Health and Care Research study is underway to examine the public health impacts of NoLo products, with findings of the study expected in the coming year.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department made an assessment of the potential long-term impact of climate change on the canal network before reducing the level of funding for the Canal and River Trust.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A comprehensive review of the current grant provision to the Canal and River Trust was conducted between 2021 and 2023. The review examined a number of forward-looking scenarios using data provided by the Trust that included consideration of potential climate change impacts.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
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 help prevent excessive annual increases in household water bills in Hazel Grove constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat assesses affordability for each water company through a five-yearly Price Review process, in which water companies must detail in their business plans how they will address affordability. Ofwat’s price controls for Price Review 2024 set out that the average customer bill will increase by 36%, before inflation, over the next five years.
We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available. We expect water companies to put robust support in place for vulnerable customers and keep current affordability schemes under review to ensure vulnerable customers are supported.
Bills must remain affordable, and customers cannot be expected to pay the price for years of underperformance in the past. Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure households across the country are supported.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of re-introducing the imposition of dog licences.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
We have no plans at this time to reintroduce an annual registration scheme or dog licenses. The old dog licence was repealed by the Local Government Act 1988 because it cost more to administer than the revenue it generated and was in effect an ownership registration scheme. Now that microchipping and registration on a compliant database is mandatory, this is no longer necessary.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to review the (a) proportionality and (b) cost-effectiveness of the Environment Agency’s (i) licensing and (ii) inspection processes for small-scale community energy providers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government makes full use of the comprehensive and wide ranging environmental regulatory framework in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have contributed to HMT’s Regulatory Action Plan and other recent reviews into regulatory effectiveness, including the review led by Dan Corry.
We remain committed to upholding high environmental standards to protect our natural environment and local communities when supporting new infrastructure and development.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will take steps to reduce limits for acceptable levels of (a) forever chemicals and (b) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007. In 2021 a guideline value of 0.1 micrograms per litre (µg/L) was adopted for drinking water which, since August 2024 when DWI’s guidance was updated. Companies are required to monitor for 48 individual PFAS in their supplies. These were agreed with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to be robust levels with an appropriate margin to ensure our drinking water is safe to drink. Concentrations of ‘sum of 48 PFAS’ greater than 0.1 micrograms must be reported to the DWI as a water quality event and all necessary actions to reduce concentrations below this value must be taken. There is no evidence of PFAS concentrations above this value in drinking water supplies.
The DWI continue to monitor publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) scientific experts, (b) NGOs, (c) industry representatives and (d) other stakeholders he has consulted as part of the development of the negotiating mandate for the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The next Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention will be taking place on the 3 - 7 November 2025. Working documents and proposals for negotiation at this meeting have not yet been published but will be in due course. Officials in Defra will review documents when they are published and analyse the potential merits of proposals on an individual basis. Officials will also conduct any necessary external outreach on proposals ahead of the Conference.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
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 merits of the proposed amendments on dental amalgam use to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The next Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention will be taking place on the 3 - 7 November 2025. Working documents and proposals for negotiation at this meeting have not yet been published but will be in due course. Officials in Defra will review documents when they are published and analyse the potential merits of proposals on an individual basis. Officials will also conduct any necessary external outreach on proposals ahead of the Conference.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
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 simplify regulatory requirements for community hydroelectric schemes; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on his (a) net zero and (b) other green energy targets.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government makes full use of the comprehensive and wide ranging environmental regulatory framework in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have contributed to HMT’s Regulatory Action Plan and other recent reviews into regulatory effectiveness, including the review led by Dan Corry.
We remain committed to upholding high environmental standards to protect our natural environment and local communities when supporting new infrastructure and development, including community hydroelectric schemes.