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 it his policy to hold a public consultation on the Air Quality Information System Review's conclusions and recommendations.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government recognizes the importance of effectively communicating air quality information to the public, which is why we conducted a comprehensive review of the Air Quality Information System (AQIS). A large evidence base has been assimilated which gives a strong foundation for taking forward solutions. The final report and accompanying evidence will be published shortly.

We will not be conducting a public consultation on the recommendations of this review. They will inform air quality elements of the revised Environmental Improvement Plan and will be incorporated into a revised Air Quality Strategy in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on ensuring that the plan for growth includes protections for (a) wildlife and (b) nature.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is fully committed to ensuring that development contributes to nature’s recovery and delivers a win-win for both nature and the economy. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will establish a Nature Restoration Fund. This will create a more efficient and effective way for obligations related to our most important sites and species to be discharged at a scale that brings about the greatest environmental benefits. The Autumn Budget 2024 committed £45 million in funding to support the establishment of the Fund.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of short-term land use to improve soil health and resilience to droughts and floods.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra currently has research programmes underway on the impact of different agricultural land management options.

The Government recognises the importance of healthy, functioning soil for resilience against the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and drought. The rich variety of soils across England need to be managed with particular consideration given to the soil type, climate, land use and desired function. While these decisions are made at farm level, they need the right frameworks, incentives and conditions from Government and the wider food chain. That is why the Government is currently consulting on our vision for land use in England, which will inform the development of a Land Use Framework.

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 plans to take through the Environmental Improvement Plan to consider the potential impact of air pollution on public health.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has recently concluded a rapid review of the existing Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). As you can easily see, we published a statement of the rapid review’s key findings on 30 January 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP later this year. The revised EIP will include a series of interventions to reduce emissions of air pollutants so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on (a) reducing regional and (b) achieving international commitments to reduce air pollution.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The United Kingdom is playing an active role in engagement with European counterparts and other countries in reducing air pollution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to attend the World Health Organisation’s Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in March 2025.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is unable to attend this World Health Organisation (WHO) conference. We aim to support attendance at relevant international events where possible and as appropriate, and work across Government to determine if and how Ministers can undertake travel, considering availability and finite resources.

The Government recognises that air pollution is a local, regional, and global issue and continues to be a long-standing supporter and member of the WHO. In advance of the Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, the United Kingdom is providing funding to the WHO to refresh and synthesize the evidence base on the health impacts of air pollution.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to make the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund permanent.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential resilience value of the UK’s hybrid model of television distribution..

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government understands how important it is that everyone can access information in times of national emergency and that television has a role to play in providing such access. The Government’s project looking into the future of TV distribution is considering a range of relevant factors, including resilience. It is important that audiences continue to receive consistent levels of service regardless of how they receive their television, and ensuring that this can happen will be a priority for the project.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not renewing the licences for terrestrial television which expire in 2034 on rural communities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. This will inform any decision concerning the future of digital terrestrial television services after 2034.

As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought from across the TV sector, audience groups and infrastructure, including through a stakeholder forum that I chair. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum includes a number of groups representing rural, older and lower income audiences, including the Rural Services Network, Silver Voices and Digital Poverty Alliance.

In addition to independent research led by Exeter University and published last year, the Government has commissioned follow up research to understand in more detail the specific preferences, motivations and barriers regarding TV viewing among a variety of groups including rural, older and low-income households.

Snares

Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief

British companies and the transportation of Russian liquefied natural gas

Wellbeing of home educated children

Ending the sale of tickets to captive orca and dolphin shows

West Bank

Found: Martin Manuela Perteghella Caroline Voaden Mr Lee Dillon Luke Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron

Found: Martin Manuela Perteghella Caroline Voaden Mr Lee Dillon Luke Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron

Found: Martin Manuela Perteghella Caroline Voaden Mr Lee Dillon Luke Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron

Found: _NC2 Dame Caroline Dinenage Vikki Slade Tim Farron .

Found: Martin Manuela Perteghella Caroline Voaden Mr Lee Dillon Luke Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron

Found: _NC2 Dame Caroline Dinenage Vikki Slade Tim Farron .

Found: Martin Manuela Perteghella Caroline Voaden Mr Lee Dillon Luke Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron

Found: _NC2 Dame Caroline Dinenage Vikki Slade Tim Farron .