Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
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 (a) flooding and (b) erosion of former coastal landfill sites; whether funding is available to local authorities to tackle that matter; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using under-spend from the Environment Agency's capital programme for that purpose.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 2010, the Government has invested around £6 billion to better protect over 600,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion.
The Government is investing £5.6 billion between 2021 and 2027 to better protect communities across England from flooding and coastal erosion. All of the £5.6 billion is expected to have been invested by 2027. This investment includes a record £5.2 billion capital investment programme, a £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme, £170 million for economic recovery from flooding and over £30 million of funding for flood incident management. The amount to be spent on coastal erosion and sea flooding is forecast to be around £1.3 billion between April 2021 and March 2027.
.Responsibility for managing both coastal change and legacy coastal landfill sites lies with the relevant coastal protection authorities. Local authorities’ waste powers are defined under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Environment Agency has recently worked with local authorities to update Shoreline Management Plans to reflect action required at the coast, including to manage landfill at risk, and is also updating public maps showing projections of future erosion risk.
Local authorities receive revenue funding for local services through the Local Government Settlement. The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available over £64.7 billion, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £4.5 billion or 7.5% in cash terms on 2023-24. The majority of local government funding is un-ringfenced, recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major service pressures in their local areas, including on flood and coastal erosion risk management.
The Government recognises that for some historic coastal landfill (HCL) sites, understanding the impacts and therefore remediation priorities may not be clear. We have commissioned a project to complete a national assessment of the situation to provide us with a clear and up to date understanding of the scale of risks posed by HCL sites in England. This will support national and local understanding of the issues, including enabling informed decisions on priority actions needed. The project is due to be completed by spring 2025.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what protection beyond saltmarsh and seagrass is in place for blue carbon habitats; and whether he is taking steps to encourage private sector investment in (a) ocean-based regenerative farming and (b) other initiatives to support those ecosystems.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government recognises the important role that blue carbon habitats can play in climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience. These richly biodiverse habitats also provide a crucial buffer from coastal flooding, benefit fish stocks and improve local water quality.
The UK is a global leader in ocean protection and we have taken a number of steps to support blue carbon habitats. 40% of UK waters are in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which cover the majority of our saltmarsh and seagrass habitats. Our focus is now on ensuring that these MPAs are effectively protected. The first three Highly Protected Marine Area designations in English waters recently came into force, two of which include further blue carbon habitats such as sub-littoral biogenic reefs and sub-littoral mud.
The Environment Agency’s Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef initiative is working to restore native oyster reef, as well as seagrass meadows and saltmarsh. Working in partnership with environmental non-government organisations, industry, community groups and academia, the initiative aims to identify innovative funding opportunities, streamline regulatory processes, build capacity and share knowledge with partners to facilitate a larger programme of restoration.
Defra has set up the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership in partnership with the Devolved Administrations to address evidence gaps that currently prevent the inclusion of blue carbon habitats in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI). Inclusion of these habitats in the GHGI will allow blue carbon to be marketed and traded as a carbon offset, leveraging private investment into these vital natural carbon stores.
Increased private sector investment into nature-based solutions will be crucial to protect 30% of the worlds ocean by 2030 and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Our Green Finance Strategy sets out how the Government will mobilise public and private financial flows to meet climate and environmental targets and our Nature Markets Framework sets out the Government’s aim to raise at least £500 million in private finance to support nature’s recovery every year by 2027 in England, rising to more than £1 billion per year by 2030.
The UK is also leading the way in developing Marine Net Gain in English waters, which will require developers to leave the environment in a better state than before new development, targeting biodiversity decline while securing potential blue carbon benefits.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the research commissioned by his Department from Professor Douglas Elliffe on the effectiveness of the training of dogs with electronic collars.
Answered by Scott Mann
The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the impact of a ban. When considered alongside the academic research, the public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector, HM Government concluded that these types of electric shock collars present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.
Defra-commissioned research AW1402 and AW1402a revealed that many e-collar users were not using them properly and in compliance with the manufacturers' instructions. As well as being misused to inflict unnecessary harm, there is also concern that e-collars can redirect aggression or generate anxiety-based behaviour in pets, making underlying behavioural and health problems worse.
We consider the peer-reviewed Defra-commissioned research to be robust. It showed that e-collars have a negative impact on the welfare of some dogs.
Data from the research was published separately in two different reputable scientific journals, which required additional independent peer review exercises involving scrutiny from experts in the same field prior to publication. This gives HM Government further confidence that the results are robust. In addition, we have considered Professor Elliffe’s independent commentary on our research alongside Defra commission research provided by the University of Bristol, University of Lincoln and the Central Science Laboratory as part of the development of our policy.
The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here:
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
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 banning e-collars on the number of dog attacks on livestock in England in the context of the report in the Sunday Telegraph on 27 March entitled Dog e-collar ban increases livestock deaths.
Answered by Scott Mann
The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the potential impacts of such a ban. HM Government considered academic research, public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector and concluded that these devices present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted.
HM Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals, as well as the financial implications. Data on the number, and outcome, of recorded incidents of livestock worrying is held by individual police forces. All reported instances of livestock worrying should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences. The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, introduced in Parliament on 8th June 2021, includes new measures to crack down on livestock worrying in England and Wales.
Meanwhile we maintain that it is best practice to keep your dog on a lead around livestock. Natural England recently published a refreshed version of the Countryside Code, which highlights that it is best practice to keep dogs on a lead around livestock. The Code also makes specific reference to keeping dogs in sight and under control to make sure they stay away from livestock, wildlife, horses and other people unless invited. Moreover, the Code helpfully sets out certain legal requirements, encouraging visitors to always check local signs as there are locations where you must keep your dog on a lead around livestock for all or part of the year.
The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here:
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in response to the UK’s Third Climate Change Risk Assessment, if he will ensure that the upcoming National Adaptation Programme will (a) contain a coherent vision for a 2 degrees Celsius world for England and (b) adequately prepare for the adaptation needs and opportunities beyond the next National Adaptation Programme five-year period.
Answered by Jo Churchill
Our ambition for NAP3 is to have a clear set of objectives for adaptation, and a systematic and robust set of policies, programmes and investments to meet those objectives. We aim to have measurable metrics, timelines and progress indicators, all linked to the 61 risks set out in our risk assessment.
We have extensive plans underway to adapt to and mitigate the risks of a warming climate, including our work to restore biodiversity, protecting and restoring our peatlands, wetlands and natural environment, and cleaning up our air, which we are delivering through our landmark Environment Act, and will look to integrate into NAP3.
We know there is more to do to prepare for a warmer world and will base our approach on the latest evidence, and advice from the Climate Change Committee. I’d be happy to meet with my Honourable Friend to discuss this programme of work further.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the compliance limits set for waste water and sewage effluent being released into rivers and streams in response to the recent fines levied against Southern Water for illegally discharging sewage into rivers and coastal waters.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The investigation and subsequent prosecution of Southern Water focused on unlawful discharges of sewage through the storm system thus bypassing full treatment at Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) and discharging to the environment in non-storm conditions. The sites all discharged either directly into, or in close proximity to, designated shellfish waters off the North Kent coast, around the Solent, and Langstone and Chichester Harbours.
During the current water company investment round (2020 - 2025), water companies are required to install overflow operation monitors on storm overflows at around 3500 WwTW, including Southern Water WwTWs, along with Flow Passed Forward Flow monitors. Permits will be reviewed and conditions tightened to afford even greater levels of scrutiny and environmental protection. The data from these monitors will be used to assess compliance with permit Flow Passed Forward Flow limits when overflows operate. As well as ensuring that the required flows are passed forward for full treatment through the WwTW when the overflow operates, the monitors will also be used by the Environment Agency to check that the overflows only operate within permit requirements of rainfall and snowmelt.
The Government is pushing forward in working towards improving the state of the water environment by setting robust and ambitious water quality targets within the Environment Bill. Alongside these targets the Government will consider the policy levers required to meet the targets, including taking further action to tackle sources of water pollution.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to create new national parks.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
As part of our 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government commissioned an independent review of designated landscapes in England, led by Julian Glover. We welcome the Glover Review and are now considering its findings, including proposals for new National Parks.