Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to help the UK meet its commitments on climate change adaptation.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. This includes preparing a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme. Defra works closely with the Cabinet Office in delivering this function.
Defra has responsibility for around half of the 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third Climate Change Risk Assessment, with a further eleven government departments having responsibility for the remainder.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to monitor companies responsibilities and duties to the environment.
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.
There are many regulators involved in delivering Government environmental objectives, and the Environment Agency (EA) is the largest environmental regulator for England.
The EA regulates a wide range of industries and activities, in diverse fields such as nuclear power, waste and resources, the water industry, climate change, flood protection. Its regulation brings about significant improvements in protection of the environment, adapts to emerging challenges and supports sustainable growth.
The Government also supports voluntary environmental due diligence approaches adopted by UK businesses across their operations and supply chain relationships, in line with the OECD’s Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct. DBT also oversees the UK’s National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct, an independent unit tasked with promoting the OECD Guidelines and managing a non-judicial grievance mechanism to resolve complaints through mediation.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of combined sewerage systems in Devon on water quality.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing combined sewerage systems with segregated sewerage in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with water companies on replacing combined sewerage systems with segregated sewerage systems in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate the cost to the public purse of reconfiguring sewerage systems in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the time needed to reconfigure sewerage systems in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of combined sewerage systems on untreated sewage overflow in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 reduce sewage overflows in Devon.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
Storm overflows are safety valves within our combined sewage system to protect properties from flooding. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan sets stretching targets to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This ambitious plan is guiding future investment in sector.
Water companies are investing around £12 billion between 2025-2030, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, and reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels. In Devon, a large spill reduction programme of works will be undertaken by South West Water, in the next 5 years to improve overflows in the Exe river & estuary catchments. This will see improvements to Combined Storm Overflows, pumping stations & sewage treatment works.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of snares on animal welfare.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises many people in this country have concerns about the use of snares on animal welfare and bans have now been brought into place in Scotland and Wales. Wildlife management is a devolved matter which means that the Scottish and Welsh Governments are free to make their own laws in relation to snaring.
Free-running snares are currently legal in England and are regulated by law. They must be checked at least once a day and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits the setting of any type of snare in places where they are likely to catch certain non-target animals. Anyone using snares also has a responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to ensure their activities do not cause wild animals or pets any unnecessary suffering.
This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.