Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
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 United Utilities on the level of sewage released into the River Severn.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with representatives of the water industry to discuss a range of issues, including reducing sewage discharges. This Government will continue to take bold action to tackle sewage pollution and hold all water companies, including United Utilities, to account for delivery.
The Government is clear that the volume of sewage being discharged into our waters is unacceptable. This is why we launched the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, setting stringent targets to reduce discharges from storm overflows. This Plan will drive the largest infrastructure programme in water company history - £60 billion capital investment over 25 years.
The River Severn is not a catchment in which United Utilities operates.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Fifth Special Report of Session 2022-23 of the Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on Species Reintroduction: Government response to the Committee's Fifth Report, published on 27 October 2023, HC 1931, on what criteria her Department decides when it is appropriate to support the reintroduction of recently lost former native species.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The reintroduction of any species in England should follow our published guidance and Code for Reintroductions, which provides the best practice for assessing the benefits and impacts of releasing a species into the wild. The appropriateness of a reintroduction proposal will be highly dependent on the specific circumstances in which it is made, for example the surrounding environmental conditions, socio-economic circumstances, or species already present in that location. As such, Natural England assess applications for release licences on a case-by-case basis, ensuring that any applications align to the Code.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of delays in the availability of conservation covenants on the ability of local authorities to prepare the implementation of biodiversity net gain in November 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Guidance for any organisations considering applying to become a conservation covenant responsible body will be published and the application process launched as soon as possible, in readiness for the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG).
Land for BNG can already be secured via standard planning obligations such as s106.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made contingency plans in case there are no appropriate and approved conservation covenant responsible bodies in time for the implementation of biodiversity net gain in November.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Guidance for any organisations considering applying to become a conservation covenant responsible body will be published and the application process launched as soon as possible, in readiness for the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG).
Land for BNG can already be secured via standard planning obligations such as s106.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide (a) councils and (b) landowners with details of the conservation covenant responsible body application process before the implementation of biodiversity net gain.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Guidance for any organisations considering applying to become a conservation covenant responsible body will be published and the application process launched as soon as possible, in readiness for the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG).
Land for BNG can already be secured via standard planning obligations such as s106.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has made of the adequacy of the capacity of local planning authorities to implement biodiversity net gain for (a) large sites in November 2023 and (b) smaller sites in April 2024.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Under the Environment Act 2021, planning permissions granted in England, with a few exemptions, will have to deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG), with phased implementation starting from November 2023.
BNG will be mandatory for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects from 2025.
The exact dates will be announced as soon as possible and are subject to parliamentary timings.
The initial assessment of the additional burden mandatory BNG would place on local planning authorities was made in the BNG Impact Assessment in 2019: Net gain impact assessment.
Subsequently Defra worked with the Association of Local Government Ecologists and the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport to undertake a survey of local planning authorities in 2021. This survey was aimed at securing a better understanding of the existing capacity, skills and preparedness of local authorities with respect to BNG and wider Environment Act 2021 measures. The survey outcomes have been published in a report, available at: Defra Science Search.
The Government announced funding to support local authorities in England with preparation for mandatory BNG of £4.18 million and up to a further £16.71 million during the two-year transition period. Defra is also funding a project with the Planning Advisory Service to support local authorities in preparing for BNG.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the dates for the implementation of biodiversity net gain in (a) November 2023 and (b) April 2024.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Under the Environment Act 2021, planning permissions granted in England, with a few exemptions, will have to deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG), with phased implementation starting from November 2023.
BNG will be mandatory for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects from 2025.
The exact dates will be announced as soon as possible and are subject to parliamentary timings.
The initial assessment of the additional burden mandatory BNG would place on local planning authorities was made in the BNG Impact Assessment in 2019: Net gain impact assessment.
Subsequently Defra worked with the Association of Local Government Ecologists and the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport to undertake a survey of local planning authorities in 2021. This survey was aimed at securing a better understanding of the existing capacity, skills and preparedness of local authorities with respect to BNG and wider Environment Act 2021 measures. The survey outcomes have been published in a report, available at: Defra Science Search.
The Government announced funding to support local authorities in England with preparation for mandatory BNG of £4.18 million and up to a further £16.71 million during the two-year transition period. Defra is also funding a project with the Planning Advisory Service to support local authorities in preparing for BNG.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of powers available to (a) local authorities and (b) the Environment Agency to deal with prolonged industrial odours.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Owners of industrial, trade and business premises are expected to use the best practicable means available to reduce odours, effluvia and other potential sources of statutory nuisance emanating from their place of work in the first place. If this is not happening, then local authorities have powers through the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to investigate and issue abatement notices to stop the problem from re-occurring if they determine a statutory nuisance exists.
For industrial installations, the Environment Agency and local authorities currently regulate odour pollution through conditions in environmental permits. Operators of these sites have to use appropriate measures or best available techniques (BAT or UKBAT where it exists) to develop management controls to prevent or, where that is not possible, to reduce them.
The Environment Agency uses permitting and enforcement tools to tackle odour pollution from the sites it regulates. These are used on a sliding scale ranging from advice and guidance to criminal prosecutions for serious pollution incidents, principally through powers from the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
The Government considers the current legislation provides the Environment Agency and local authorities with the necessary powers to deal with these types of issues. The Environment Agency has an ongoing remit to review odour pollution measures and performance from the industrial sites that it regulates.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade to benefit biodiversity, local communities, and the economy, while protecting global security. As part of this commitment, we are increasing our funding and will invest a further £30 million between 2022 and 2025. This includes through Defra’s grant scheme, the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which to date has supported 136 projects in over 60 countries, including projects to change behaviours, strengthen wildlife crime legislation, and help communities to protect the wildlife they rely on for their livelihoods.
We recognise the importance of regularly assessing the impact and effectiveness of our efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Most recently, in May 2022, an independent evaluation was carried out on Defra’s Biodiversity Funds, including the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. The evaluation found strong alignment with the aims of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements, particularly the Convention on Biodiversity, and that projects are highly aligned with the needs of the countries they operate in. The full report can be found at:
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her policies in tackling the illegal wildlife trade.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade to benefit biodiversity, local communities, and the economy, while protecting global security. As part of this commitment, we are increasing our funding and will invest a further £30 million between 2022 and 2025. This includes through Defra’s grant scheme, the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which to date has supported 136 projects in over 60 countries, including projects to change behaviours, strengthen wildlife crime legislation, and help communities to protect the wildlife they rely on for their livelihoods.
We recognise the importance of regularly assessing the impact and effectiveness of our efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Most recently, in May 2022, an independent evaluation was carried out on Defra’s Biodiversity Funds, including the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. The evaluation found strong alignment with the aims of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements, particularly the Convention on Biodiversity, and that projects are highly aligned with the needs of the countries they operate in. The full report can be found at: