Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effect of the proposed third runway at Heathrow Airport on air quality; and what steps her Department is taking to incorporate its assessment of the air quality effect of a third runway in its revised air quality plan.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including on air quality.
Our air quality plans have always followed the best available evidence. We are currently working on the next steps needed to revise the national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide. We will set out further measures in 2017.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
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 2 December 2016 to Question 55351, for what reason she does not plan to bring forward proposals to amend part 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to make medically unsafe levels of noise from aircraft a statutory nuisance.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government has no plans to amend the Environmental Protection Act as suggested because it considers that aircraft noise is best managed through aviation policy.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
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 encourage businesses to reduce waste by using appropriately-sized packaging for their products.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Under the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations, businesses are required to ensure that all packaging shall not exceed what is needed to make sure that the products are safe, hygienic and acceptable for both the packed product and for the consumer. These Regulations apply to those responsible for packing or filling products into packaging and those importing packed or filled packaging into the UK from elsewhere.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
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 bring forward proposals to amend part 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to make medically unsafe levels of noise from aircraft a statutory nuisance.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
No.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department is (a) carrying out and (b) encouraging into extending the use of materials that biodegrade more quickly.
Answered by Rory Stewart
In October 2014, Defra commissioned the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) project on biodegradable plastic carrier bags – solutions through innovation. The project is contracted to the plastic packing manufacturer Aquapak Polymers Ltd, and is due to report in December this year. The project is testing the biodegradability of a hydrophilic polymer under simulated composting and anaerobic digestion conditions, and in experiments simulating natural conditions, and testing the impact on aquatic life.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
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 she has taken to increase awareness of the impending legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped.
Answered by George Eustice
The Department has been working with key stakeholders to increase awareness of the need for owners to get their dogs microchipped. This work has included the offer by Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Blue Cross of free microchipping, and the launch of the ChipMyDog Facebook page and has helped contribute to the rise in the percentage of dogs microchipped from around 58% in 2013 to an estimated 83% today. We will continue to work with stakeholders to get this message out to dog owners and prospective owners.