Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 (a) reduce microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems and (b) support local authorities to (i) monitor and (ii) manage microplastic waste.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At home and abroad, the UK is taking action to develop our understanding of the microplastic problem and to prevent and reduce microplastic pollution. Microplastics are used in a range of applications and are produced from the degradation of plastic products.
Plastic pellets are the feedstock for the production of plastic products, and can be lost throughout the supply chain. To tackle this issue, we have supported the development of a Publicly Available Specification by the British Standards Institution (PAS 510:2021), which sets out the steps companies should take to reduce the loss of plastic pellets across their operations.
Technical experts from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) have also been leading the Oslo and Paris Convention (OSPAR) Convention to develop a new indicator for microlitter (including microplastics) in seafloor sediments. This will help us to track progress in reducing plastics in the environment at a regional scale. The UK also contributes to the OSPAR Microplastic Expert Group, which is examining ways that we can better detect and quantify microplastics in samples taken for research.
Finally, in negotiations to establish a new international treaty on plastic pollution, the UK has called for binding provisions to reduce and prevent microplastic pollution from all sources. In particular, the UK has called for specific provisions to prevent and eliminate emissions and releases of plastic pellets, flakes and powder across the whole supply chain.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to develop the new Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the new scheme on farmers in South Cotswolds constituency.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer will build on what has made SFI effective so far. Defra will be working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 on the development of the Land Use Framework with (a) farmers and (b) landowners in South Cotswolds constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The consultation on land use in England closed on the 25th April. The Government is considering responses to the consultation. These responses will inform a Land Use Framework for England.
The consultation process included events with farmers and other land managers held across England over the twelve-week consultation period. This included an event organised by a partner organised on behalf of Defra in Cirencester.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 his Department's policy paper entitled Government response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s report on progress in improving the natural environment in England from January 2024, published on 14 January 2025, what progress the cross-Government working group to support effective implementation of the environmental principles policy statement has made.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Cross-Government working group to support the implementation of the Environmental Principles Policy Statement Duty (EPPS) has been actively coordinating efforts across various departments to ensure that the environmental principles are integrated into policy-making processes. The Office for Environmental Protection also published a report on the implementation of EPPS and the government will be responding to that report soon.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 to help support citizen science projects on (a) flooding and (b) sewage.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has a strong history of working with citizen scientists, particularly volunteer species recorders who have provided over 70% of Government biodiversity data. The growth of citizen science across cities, the countryside, and rivers, driven by technology and social networks, has resulted in fragmented efforts and resource competition. This complex landscape often sees short-lived and difficult-to-support initiatives.
The Defra Natural Capital & Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme includes specific research and development to advance Defra and stakeholder engagement with citizen science. Freshwater permeates our landscapes and cities providing a powerful medium through which we can monitor important elements of our natural capital. We have identified 112 existing freshwater citizen science methods. Much of this focuses on rivers, but we are also advancing lake and pond survey capability. Trials have already found 515 new ponds in test cities and online volunteers mapped open water across Northumberland. Freshwater methods will feature within integrated survey designs we are working to trial with stakeholders across various landscapes and cities. A key goal of NCEA research is to explore how best to support environmental citizen science to enhance both national science and public engagement with the environment.
The Environment Agency (EA) has recruited citizen science coordinators that are embedded in front-line teams. This is creating strong relationships with citizen science groups and a large collaborative effort is underway to ensure the data derived from citizen science can be added to the EA’s data.
Citizen science initiatives focused on sewage and wider catchment pressures include Riverfly, The Big River Watch, Great UK WaterBlitz, and SmartRivers. An example relevant to flooding is the Daily Rainfall Observers Network.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what nature-based flooding solutions he plans to implement in South Cotswolds constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Gloucestershire County Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, coordinates a natural flood management partnership which plans Nature Based Solutions (NBS) projects across the county, including a scheme upstream of Cirencester to re-naturalise The Churn.
The Environment Agency (EA) funds and works with partners on NBS projects on the Upper Bristol Avon. Upstream of Malmesbury, the EA works with Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and on the Brinkworth Brook it is working with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on the Wiltshire Rural Runoff Project. This project includes significant landowner engagement to raise awareness of NBS and opportunities to enhance sustainable land management practices, improve river habitat and water quality.
NBS measures upstream of Malmesbury will contribute towards reducing the height of flood peaks and will benefit properties at risk of flooding. The Brinkworth Brook project includes measures that could mitigate some flooding issues in the M4 corridor but will not stop flooding during larger events.
The EA is also keeping track of the small beaver population around Malmesbury, which are likely contribute positively to NBS in the future.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to improve (a) public access, (b) environmental protections and (c) biodiversity enhancement for (i) rivers, (ii) lakes and (iii) other inland waterways.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors including blue spaces for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. We are currently developing policy working closely with key stakeholders to improve access to nature, in line with our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England. This includes access onto unregulated inland waterways, taking account of environmental protection and biodiversity enhancement.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 14 November 2024 to Question 13418 on Countryside: Access, by when he plans to make further announcements on his policy on access to nature.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. We are committed to increasing access to nature and have already set out several ambitious manifesto commitments to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England.
We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other government departments and key stakeholders. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at increasing access to green spaces and the countryside, including:
In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 policy paper entitled Technical annex: The combined environmental land management offer, published on 19 March 2024, whether it is his policy to financially incentivise permissive access.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Actions for permissive access are included in the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offer where they will benefit from input from Natural England advisers to ensure improvements represent value for money and link into the existing PROW network. Details of the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offer were announced in December 2024.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 to support (a) farmers and (b) landowners wishing to restore wild beavers on their land.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
Farmers and landowners who would like to reintroduce wild beavers on their land must first submit an Expression of Interest, which will be assessed by Natural England (NE). Projects likely to meet the licensing criteria will be invited to make a full application.
A licence is needed to release any beavers into the wild. Applications will be considered against comprehensive wild release criteria. These criteria have been designed to ensure only high-benefit, low-risk projects are licenced, and that beavers are reintroduced at a measured pace in a well-managed way.