Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 merits of supporting further investment in the development of sustainable alternatives to neonicotinoids, in order to avoid their use in emergency authorisations in circumstances where diseases or pests cannot be controlled by other reasonable means.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Three neonicotinoids including the one covered by the sugar beet emergency authorisation, were banned by the EU in 2018, a decision the Government supported and so we have already moved decisively away from their use. British sugar is already developing alternative approaches to neonicotinoid seed treatments. It has stated that it may make applications for emergency authorisations for neonicotinoid seed treatments until 2023, by which time it intends to have developed alternative approaches. This includes the development of resistant plant varieties, measures to improve seed germination and new practices for growers.
Defra investment is not focused on the development of sustainable alternatives to specific pesticides such as neonicotinoids. The department has funded important research into other areas that will ensure pesticides can be used sustainably in the future.
We have funded research into the exposure of honeybees to pesticides, both over time and at national scale, through chemical analysis of pesticide residues found in honey samples. Using genetic techniques, such as DNA metabarcoding, this research can assess the plants foraged by exposed bees and highlight common pesticide exposure routes for this key pollinator species. We expect the results of this work to be published in the coming months.
We are also funding research exploring how we could further develop our monitoring to better understand the effects, and the impacts, of pesticides on pollinators, such as expanding residue assessments to include wild pollinator species of bumblebees and solitary bees.
Finally, in 2019 Defra commissioned the report 'Review of Evidence on Integrated Pest Management', which was published in 2020. This report assessed several themes including the effectiveness of IPM measures for reducing pesticide use, what combinations of IPM measures are most beneficial, and barriers and enablers to the uptake of IPM approaches. Research such as this will help Defra to meet its commitment to increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management and sustainable crop protection, and therefore reduce any future reliance of emergency authorisation applications for neonicotinoids.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what long term estimates his Department has made of the level of risk of flooding in the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens from a potential (a) breach of river wall or (b) overtopping of the river wall if water levels were to rise as a result of global warming.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) The Flood Risk Assessment required under paragraph 163 of the National Planning Framework, together with other associated assessments submitted by the applicant, has satisfactorily demonstrated that the integrity of the flood defence can be maintained throughout construction. This is subject to the actions of a detailed monitoring plan outlined within the application.
b) The applicant has demonstrated, through design and loading calculations, that the proposal will not preclude the requirement to raise the flood defences in the future as required by the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan.
It should be noted that while it may be impacted by this proposal, the flood defence is outside of the application boundary and will require cooperation between the applicant and the riparian owner to ensure that a continuous defence is maintained at all times.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 has taken to (a) coordinate with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the latter Department duly considers the risk of flooding to the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens in its planning consultation process, and (b) ensure that sufficient measures are taken to protect buildings in Thames Flood Zone 3 from an excessive risk of damages from potential flooding.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee as outlined in the Development Management Procedure Order (DMPO) 2015. The Environment Agency formulates its response based on evidence and the requirements set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and associated Planning Practice Guidance (Flood Risk and Costal Change). This was created by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
b) Within the Thames Estuary, a complex network of defences, including nine major barriers, around 330km of walls and embankments, and more than 900 other structures (such as flood gates, outfalls and pumps), work together to protect over 1.4 million people and £321 billion worth of property from tidal flooding.
The current tidal flood defences protect to a one in 1000 year flood event. To meet the challenge of climate change and sea level rises, the Thames Estuary 2100 plan details the requirements to raise flood defences in order to protect homes and businesses.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what long term risk assessment his Department has made of the (a) likelihood and (b) severity of possible flooding scenarios of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre site in Victoria Tower Gardens over the next 100 year period.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a) Victoria Tower Gardens, the location of the proposed Holocaust Memorial, is located within Flood Zone 3 but is protected by the Thames Tidal flood defences up to a 1 in 1000 (0.1%) chance in any year flood event. However, the Environment Agency’s most recent breach hazard modelling study shows the site to be impacted by flooding if there was to be a breach in the defences or they were to be overtopped.
The applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that the structural integrity of the wall can be maintained throughout the construction phase of the development and that a continuous monitoring plan will be in place to identify any unacceptable movement within the wall together with contingency actions. The Environment Agency has requested that the requirements of the monitoring plan be secured by way of planning condition.
b) The Environment Agency’s modelling highlights that a breach in the tidal flood defences, while a low probability, could have an impact due to the depth and velocity of the flood water, increasing risk to life. The applicant, in discussion with the Local Authority’s Local Emergency Planning team, should asses the risks of internal flooding, access and exits of the building as part of a Flood Emergency Plan.
The Environment Agency does not assess or approve the adequacy of flood emergency response procedures accompanying development proposals as it does not carry out these roles during a flood.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 operational effect on port health authorities of the new rules and guidance on inspections of animal and animal product imports from the EU following the end of the transition period; and what consequential support his Department has provided to those authorities.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
SPS controls on animals and animal products imported into GB from the EU are being introduced in stages. From April, Port Health Authorities (PHA) will be required to carry out remote documentary checks on POAO, with physical and identity checks on animal products being carried out at BCPs from 1 July 2021.
Defra has provided £14 million funding to 21 local authorities in England to support PHAs with the recruitment and training of over 500 new staff. Defra continues to work closely with PHAs to develop the necessary training and guidance needed to deliver SPS controls on the import of animal products, and has a dedicated team in place to provide tailored support.