DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (BIODIVERSITY) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (WOODLAND AND TREES OUTSIDE WOODLAND) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (WATER) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (MARINE PROTECTED AREAS) REGULATIONS 2022 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (FINE PARTICULATE MATTER) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (RESIDUAL WASTE) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022

Trudy Harrison Excerpts

Monday 23rd January 2023 General Committees

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Trudy Harrison)]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Biodiversity) (England) Regulations 2022.

I am not sure in what order the Chair wishes to take the statutory instruments. Is this the first instrument to be debated?

[The Chair]

It is.

[Trudy Harrison]

These regulations form part of an essential tranche of secondary legislation needed to implement the Environment Act 2021, fulfilling the requirements of that Act that at least one target in each of four priority areas is set in air, water, biodiversity, and resource efficiency and waste reduction. It also requires targets to be set for fine particulate matter and species abundance. We have included targets over and above the minimum required, with additional proposals on biodiversity, water and marine and tree planting as these are areas of greatest threat and pressure for the natural environment. Our overall suite of 13 targets from the Environment Act 2021 will put nature and the environment at the centre of all Government policymaking for generations to come.

Each of the statutory instruments clearly improves the environment, but breaking that down to look at biodiversity, there is no single way to measure the health of our biodiversity, so we have proposed four targets that address the status of species and habitats. Our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 will be our apex target for the coming decade, driving wide-ranging improvements to the state of nature. We will increase species abundance by at least 10% by 2042, while ensuring that abundance is greater than in 2022. To support our most vulnerable and iconic species, we have set a target to reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042. Finally, we will restore or create in excess of 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats outside of protected sites by 2042. Taken together, those targets will halt and reverse nature’s decline. Achieving them will require widespread action on many fronts. The steps we take to meet the other targets on water and woodland in particular will be vital, as will the changes we are introducing to the way we support farmers by paying them to improve nature.

[Mr Sheerman]

Some of us are very involved in this area and have been in the House for quite a long time. I am astounded by the far-reaching nature of just this one SI, let alone the range that we have today. It seems that we would need hours to look at each one and, looking at the Chair, I take it that we will not have hours. We are discussing these SIs at a time when nobody knows what has happened to our farming policy, farm payments policy and nature recovery networks. The background to the debate is quite crazy because there is no certainty at all for farmers or people who love the English countryside.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I would like to reassure the hon. Member for Huddersfield that the SI continues the work of the Environment Act. A wealth of information—800 pages—has been published on the Government website. There have been around 150,000 responses to the consultation on this issue. Taken with the Environment Act and our 25-year environment plan, the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Mark Spencer) and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have set out over the past couple of months what the environmental land management scheme will provide for farmers, but I am sure all of us here understand that this is a fundamental change as we leave the common agricultural policy and move away from area-based payments towards paying farmers for their environmental stewardship.

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[Trudy Harrison]

The 2030 species abundance target really is world leading and will drive wide-ranging actions to deliver nature recovery. It is very disappointing to hear Opposition Members say that they will vote against improving biodiversity on land. As I have said, the target follows on from the groundbreaking, world-leading Environment Act 2021 and from the 25-year environment plan.

In the last 20 years, the England priority species abundance index has been declining by 2% a year. That is exactly why we have set the target to halt the decline of nature by 2030, and to improve it by 10% beyond that. Since 2010, we have created or restored plant and wildlife habitats equivalent to the size of Dorset. The red kite is the biggest recent conservation success in the UK, with a population increase of 21.7% between 2008 and 2018. Many other species are making a significant improvement, but we know we need to do more.

The hon. Member for Huddersfield had questions in relation to the Office for Environmental Protection. As I have said, we accept that nature has declined in recent decades, and that previous action has been insufficient to halt the decline. That is exactly why we are setting the ambitious targets now to ensure that sustained action is taken to tackle the challenge across a number of fronts. On 31 January, the environmental improvement plan will set out in more detail how we will deliver on those targets—I reassure the hon. Member on that. Our targets will work together to improve water, soil and air quality—all the aspects needed to improve biodiversity.

[Mr Sheerman]

The Minister is very generous to give way, but my point was that we are not voting against the measures; we are voting against the fact that they are not going to be brought in fast enough or effectively enough. It would be wrong to suggest that we are not in favour; we want these objectives, but we want them quicker.

The red kite is a great success story, but it was nothing to do with the Government. It was the dedicated people in the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and other charities who got the red kite victory. They should be applauded for their work, not the Government.

[Trudy Harrison]

The hon. Gentleman makes a valid point about the work of volunteers across the country to help with the recovery of species. He mentioned hedgehogs and I will mention red squirrels. The UK Squirrel Accord supports those voluntary groups right across the country to control grey squirrels and feed red squirrels, and we are seeing significant improvements.

However, without the targets that Conservative Members will vote for today, we will not be able to carry out the improvements required in air, water and soil quality in the way we need to. The environmental land management schemes—the sustainable farming incentive, landscape recovery and countryside stewardship—will enable 70% of the land that is farmed in this country to be awarded for environmental stewardship. That is what we are supporting tonight: targets that support biodiversity.

The hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion asked about protected sites. The environment plan goal to restore 75% of our 1 million hectares of terrestrial and freshwater protected sites to favourable conditions by 2042 is fundamental. Natural England is increasing proactive work on sites of special scientific interest, over 1 million hectares across the country, to gain a better understanding of the action that farmers and the rest of society can take, because this is an incredible team game that we must play.

[Mr Sheerman]

The Minister is being very kind. Mr Stringer, you know my patch better than many members of the Committee. People say, “You have lots of farmers in Huddersfield”, and we do. The fact is that farmers in my constituency are as astounded as farmers up and down the country who do not know what the future holds. They do not know how they will be rewarded for what was going to be nature recovery networks—for what was going to be Government policy. At the moment, I do not know a farmer in the land who knows what the Government’s intentions are on biodiversity.

[Trudy Harrison]

I am afraid, Chair, the hon. Gentleman is stretching the tight nature of the debate. The environmental land management plan has been set out, and my colleagues across the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have explained what it will achieve. He knows that farmers were keen to get out of the common agricultural policy and have incentives in the UK targeted towards UK farmers. I am afraid that I must make progress with the remaining five statutory instruments. I thank Committee members for their time on this first one on biodiversity.

Question put.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Woodland and Trees Outside Woodland) (England) Regulations 2022.

The regulations set a target for the combined canopy cover of woodlands and trees outside woodlands in England to increase to 16.5% by 31 December 2050. Achieving that target would see annual tree planting rates and total tree cover exceed historic highs. The action we are taking now through the England trees action plan, with the support of £750 million from the Nature for Climate fund, will set us on the right path to achieving the tree planting rates needed. We want to create a diverse treescape to draw on all of the unique benefits that different kinds of tree planting can provide. Almost all trees and woodlands will contribute to meeting the target, as will trees in hedgerows, orchards and fields and in villages, towns and cities.

That concludes my short remarks on this statutory instrument, which I am happy to discuss in more detail.

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[Trudy Harrison]

The target to have 16.5% tree cover across England requires us to plant around 7,500 hectares of trees annually. The hon. Member for Huddersfield asked me a very direct question about how many have been planted recently. I believe that last year some 2,700 hectares of trees were planted, so we need to make a significant improvement in the rate and, significantly, the speed at which we plant trees. As the lead Minister for Natural England, I am working with that organisation to ensure that we speed up tree planting.

There were questions about coniferous trees and broadleaf trees. I want colleagues to know that we considered the inclusion of statutory sub-targets but decided not to move forward with those proposals. We intend to give a transparent picture of the contribution from each planting type towards the target through the Forestry Commission’s statistics. We will use policy and incentives to encourage the planting of woodland types that we want to see. The actions that we are taking through the England trees action plan, the suite of targets being released, our biodiversity targets in particular, and the UK forestry standard will act as a real driver for native woodland planting, and ensure that the woodlands we create are mixed.

[Daniel Zeichner]

Will the Minister give way on that point?

[Trudy Harrison]

Very briefly.

[Daniel Zeichner]

I am listening carefully to the Minister’s explanation of the ratio between broadleaf and conifer, and I could not understand it at all. Will she explain why it was decided not to set a proper target, particularly given that the head of Natural England, my constituent Tony Juniper, has expressed his disappointment about that?

[Trudy Harrison]

It would be unfortunate to get into a form of tree snobbery. Different species require different trees. I look out on the beech tree in my garden, which is the preference of the tawny owl, but I also see the mistle thrush taking its position at the top of the Sitka spruce. We still expect to see significantly more broadleaf woodland planted than conifer.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

Will the Minister give way?

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[Trudy Harrison]

No, I am afraid I will not.

Our approach to tree planting has already sought to recognise the multiple benefits that different tree species can provide across carbon, nature and broader goals, improving water quality and supporting a thriving domestic timber industry. That is critical, because I am afraid to say that only 19% of the timber used in the UK is grown in this country. This is being delivered by the UK forestry standard, which prevents the planting of monoculture forests and maximises the multiple benefits of forests by incentivising the right mix of trees.

With that, Mr Stringer, I will conclude my remarks, because I am aware that there is a lot to get through this evening.

Question put.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Water) (England) Regulations 2022.

The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 already set an outcome-based, long-term target to improve the water environment. Under those regulations, we are committed to restoring 75% of water bodies to good ecological status. We do not want simply to replicate that; we are setting four water targets to address specific pressures that are preventing us from reaching the overarching target for good ecological status. Those targets will reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution from agricultural land by 40%; reduce phosphorous from treated wastewater by 80%; seek to halve the length of rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines; and reduce water demand by 20%.

The agriculture target is needed as agriculture and wastewater are the biggest sources of nutrient pollution in the water environment, accounting for an estimated 70% of nitrate inputs into our rivers, lakes and groundwater, and for 25% of the phosphorous load in our rivers and lakes. To deliver the target, we will work with the agricultural sector to improve farming practices. We will reward farmers for incorporating sustainable methods and wildlife habitats into their farms as part of a profitable business, with access to free face-to-face advice from catchment-sensitive farming partnerships. We will also help farmers benefit from technologies that could transform how our food is grown, including closed systems that capture excess nutrients for reuse, and reduced tillage systems that preserve the soil structure or reduce the need for fertilisers.

The wastewater target will ensure that the water industry continues to take action to significantly reduce phosphorous loadings in wastewater, tackling one of the biggest pressures on water quality.

[Mr Sheerman]

Some of what the Minister says is very welcome indeed. What worries me is something we all know. When I was complaining about the water quality of a river near my constituency a couple of years ago, Yorkshire Water said to me, “Mr Sheerman, there is not one river in England that is fit for humans to swim in.” I do not know whether the Minister is a wild swimmer, but I was really alarmed by that fact, and I started a charity called Greenstreams. There are two main things that affect our water in this country: cattle sewage and human sewage, which get into our watercourses. I do not believe—

[Mr Sheerman]

I am sorry, Mr Stringer; I got carried away.

[Trudy Harrison]

I will address the hon. Gentleman’s points when I move on to my summary remarks. I will not discuss whether I am a wild swimmer—that would be well and truly straying from the tight scope of the debate.

The abandoned metal mines target will address six polluting substances from abandoned metal mines.

[Nick Smith]

Will the Minister give way—please?

[Trudy Harrison]

I will.

[Nick Smith]

I thank the Minister for giving way; it is very generous of her. I was interested in what she said about free face-to-face advice on improving water quality. Can she tell us more about exactly who will be able to provide that advice and how many advisers there will be across the country? We would like some understanding of the important public service support for this initiative.

[Trudy Harrison]

It is important that farmers get the advice that they need as they transition away from the common agricultural policy, which was an area-based scheme, towards our ELM schemes, and it is therefore essential that we provide information in a variety of ways, not least through the Rural Payments Agency and Natural England, as well as through many other organisations, such as the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association. We will work with all those stakeholders to ensure that farmers have the information they need to make the transition that they—and society, and certainly the environment—need.

[Nick Smith]

Will the Minister give way?

[Trudy Harrison]

No, not at this point.

The abandoned metal mines target will address six polluting substances from abandoned metal mines: cadmium, nickel, lead, copper, zinc and arsenic. Those mines are one of the biggest sources of metal pollution in rivers, resulting in one of the top 10 pressures impacting the water environment.

The water demand target will bring about a reduction in water demand to ensure a resilient supply of water in the face of climate change and an increasing population, leaving more water in the environment to support biodiversity.

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[Trudy Harrison]

Again, it is disappointing to hear that the Opposition are not going to support these targets, which will enable us to tackle most, if not all, of the challenges that the hon. Member for Cambridge has set out. The most fundamental thing to point out is that in 2010 just 5% of storm overflows were monitored, but today that figure is 95%. We will not stop until they are all monitored. We are already subject to legally binding targets under the water framework directive to achieve good ecological status in our water bodies. Our new targets under the Environment Act 2021 seek to supplement this by focusing on the greatest pressures on the water environment.

[Mr Sheerman]

On a point of order, Mr Stringer, I do not think the Minister meant to mislead the Committee, but to my knowledge, the Environment Agency has actually stopped checking the quality of river water.

[The Chair]

Order. The hon. Member knows full well that that is not a point of order.

[Trudy Harrison]

As the Secretary of State mentioned to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, the water framework directive is a possible opportunity for reform under the retained EU law Bill. Our Environment Act targets are highly stretching and ambitious, so any reform would align with this work to deliver our commitments to clean and plentiful water, as set out in the 25-year environment plan.

On “good” chemical status, the chemical status results reflect a change to a more rigorous methodology for classifying the chemical status of English water bodies. To give an example, in 2016, 97% achieved good chemical status, but more recent results showed that no water bodies met the criteria for good chemical status, so there has been a change in the way we consider that.

On our long-term investment, the water companies will invest £56 billion over the coming decades as a result of this Government’s encouragement, and we will increase the fines that those companies are subject to. An additional 4,000 megalitres of water a day will be needed in England by 2050 to meet future pressures. That is why we have set the target to reduce consumption demand by 20%. That will be essential to protect our environment, including the watercourses that are vital for our nature and marine systems.

The 25-year environment plan commits us to restoring 75% of our waters to close to their natural state as soon as practical. We have also doubled the annual budget for catchment-sensitive farming to £30 million, meaning that 100% of farmers in England can access the advice that the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent asked about.

With that, Mr Stringer, I will conclude my remarks so that we can move on to the next SI.

Question put.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Marine Protected Areas) Regulations 2022.

These regulations set a target for the recovery of features in marine protected areas. MPAs are one of the most important tools that we have for protecting the wide range of precious and sensitive habitats and species in our waters. In England, we have established a comprehensive MPA network, covering 40% or 130,000 square miles of English waters. Establishing this network is an important step in achieving our goal of conserving our protected species and habitats. Now that they have been designated, we need to increase the protections for these valuable marine environments to help them to recover, which is why we are setting this target. That concludes my remarks for the moment.

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[Trudy Harrison]

The modelling undertaken by our statutory nature conservation bodies Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee has informed the 2042 target of 70%. Members will know that there are 178 marine protected areas covering 35,000 square miles, of which 60% already have byelaws in place to protect them from damage caused by trawling on the sea bed.

Hon. Members have asked when we will go further. On 16 January, the Marine Management Organisation started a consultation about the next set of byelaws covering 13 offshore MPAs. We aim to have all sites protected from damaging fishing by the end of 2024. The MPA target will be important for climate change as the recovery of features such as seagrass and salt marsh should make an important contribution. Maerl beds can take 50 years to recover, while other species will begin their recovery much sooner, which is the reason for the later target date.

Question put and agreed to.

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS (FINE PARTICULATE MATTER) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2022

[Trudy Harrison]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2022.

In line with our clean air strategy, we are setting two new targets for fine particulate matter, PM_2.5, under the Environment Act 2021: a maximum annual mean concentration of 10 micrograms per cubic metre by 2024 and a population exposure reduction target of 35% by 2040 compared with 2018.

Our dual target approach will improve public health by tackling the highest concentrations while ensuring all areas benefit from continuous improvement. Our innovative population exposure reduction target will drive action in continuous improvement even where concentration targets have already been achieved. That is important as there is no safe level for PM_2.5, the pollutant that causes most harm to human health.

The Government have followed an evidence-based process to set air quality targets that are stretching, achievable and specific to our national circumstances. We want to seize the opportunity to set air quality targets that focus interventions to improve public health.

In terms of our economic figures, the cost-benefit analysis conducted on scenarios for achieving Environment Act 2021 targets indicate that action to reduce PM_2.5 concentrations could save £38 billion a year from 2023 to 2040 in social costs associated with damage from air pollution to human health, productivity and ecosystems. This reduction in social costs could rise to £135 billion when the co-benefits of these actions on greenhouse gas emissions are considered.

Our modelling indicates that over 18 years, achieving these targets would result in up to 214,000 fewer cases of cardiovascular disease, 56,000 fewer strokes, 70,000 fewer cases of asthma and 23,000 fewer cases of lung cancer.

[Mr Sheerman]

As I hope the Minister knows, I chair the Westminster Commission for Road Air Quality and I have campaigned on this issue for a very long time; in fact, I have a Bill going through the House at the moment that would increase the checks on vehicle emissions. Is she not aware that at this moment, people in Copeland and Huddersfield face serious health issues and people in this very room face poisonous air?

[Trudy Harrison]

Of course I am aware, which is why we are setting these targets to reduce air pollution. As part of our work to assess the progress towards these targets, we invested around £1 million to expand the PM_2.5 monitoring network in 2021, which is a darn sight further forward than it was when we took it on in 2010. By the end of 2025, we will have invested a further £10 million to at least double the size of the original PM_2.5 network, adding well over 100 additional monitors across England from December 2021.

We are investing £1.5 million during 2022-23 to establish two new multi-instrument particulate matter composition measurement sites to monitor PM_2.5 mass, particle specification, particle counting, black carbon and ammonia. We have over 500 sites across the UK, and we spend approximately £9 million running and maintaining 14 national networks.

Under our NO₂ programme, we have allocated £883 million to support local authorities to develop and implement measures to address local nitrogen dioxide exceedances in the shortest possible time. We have pledged £284 million through the clean air fund to support a range of other positive local actions, such as the retrofitting and upgrading of buses, HGVs and taxis. That is why we are taking this measure forward, and why I support this target and this SI ahead of our environmental improvement plan.

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[Trudy Harrison]

A multitude of aspects have been discovered on this particular issue, and I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Huddersfield for his work to improve the quality of air in areas around schools. When I was a Minister in the Department for Transport, we set up Active Travel England. One of the primary reasons for doing that was to reduce car commuter journeys and improve air quality, and an awful lot of work has gone into improving the air quality in streets around schools. We appointed Chris Boardman as the national commissioner for walking and cycling, and an awful lot of good work has been done.

Our evidence suggests that it is not practically possible to set 5 micrograms per cubic metre as a nationwide target. A study of the level being experienced by people in parts of south-east England in 2018, indicated that 6 to 8 micrograms per cubic metre came from a combination of natural sources, emissions from other countries—such as the air blown across the English channel from Europe—and shipping. The World Health Organisation guidelines are not ready-made targets for adoption. The WHO does not expect any country to adopt its guidelines without first understanding what would be required to meet the targets. While we expect that the majority of the country will meet the target of 2.5 micrograms by 2030, not all parts of the country will be able to do that.

[Caroline Lucas]

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I was only going to point out that, given that the European Commission’s target is a heck of a lot more ambitious than ours, it is a bit rich to stand there and say that the reason we cannot meet our target is because we will have dirty air coming over from people in Europe. They are cleaning up their air much quicker than we are, so that argument simply does not hold.

[Trudy Harrison]

I would like to make it absolutely clear that the EU Commission’s proposed target has yet to be accepted or, indeed, implemented. We are going further than ever before to adopt the targets, and the environmental improvement plan will set out, with even more detail and in the next few days, how we will go about that.

[Mr Sheerman]

Will the Minister allow me just one last intervention?

[Trudy Harrison]

I am afraid I will not. We have a further statutory instrument to get through tonight, so I will take my seat ahead of the next debate.

Question put.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Environmental Targets (Residual Waste) (England) Regulations 2022.

We want to make more of our precious resources. As it is, we produce far too much waste. The target to halve residual waste is a crucial legal mechanism to drive materials up the waste hierarchy, so that we make the best and most productive use of them.

The target will dramatically reduce the amount of valuable materials we bury or burn. There are several ways to achieve this. We want to reduce the waste being produced in the first place. We can do that by making products last longer, by making them designed for repair, and, in the case of foods, simply by being less wasteful as a society. We must also redouble our efforts to maximise what we recycle, so that materials can be used again and again in the productive economy.

We will embark on our target pathway by delivering on our commitments to implement the collection and packaging reforms, including our deposit return scheme, which we announced the next steps for last Friday.

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[Trudy Harrison]

I really disagree with Opposition Members when they say that the target is not sufficiently ambitious. Our target to halve residual waste is very ambitious. I also remind Members that the Environment Act 2021 requires the Secretary of State to be satisfied that the targets can be met. Our analysis is therefore based on a credible policy pathway that is feasible to model, and it concludes that a 50% reduction target is at the upper limit of achievability.

Meeting the target requires progress beyond the existing commitment to achieve a 65% municipal recycling rate by 2035, as well as focused action to prevent waste arriving in the first place. We are focused on much of what has been heard today, but the improvements so far, since 2010, are significant. Waste in scope of the target of being sent to landfill has decreased substantially from 24.3 million tonnes in 2010 to 13.3 million tonnes in 2018. In 2019, residual waste excluding major mineral waste was 574 kg per person in England, which equates to 32.3 million tonnes of waste sent to residual waste treatment; the target will reduce residual waste per person to 287 kg by 2042. In consultation, the majority of non-campaign respondents—49%—agreed with the scope. At public consultation, the majority of respondents —44%—agreed with the method for measuring against the target.

The hon. Member for asked me to look into his Bill. I am happy to suggest to my colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow), that she should meet the hon. Gentleman to learn more about his proposal.

In conclusion, together, the six SIs that we have debated this evening contain 13 stretching targets to tackle some of the biggest pressures facing our environment, as we have heard this evening. The targets are the result of significant scientific evidence collection and development over preceding years. There has been input from evidence partners and independent experts. The targets are supported by over 800 pages of published evidence. I can only suggest to Members present with a keen interest—that interest has been demonstrated by the multiple interventions —that they check out gov.uk and peruse those 800 pages of published evidence.

[Daniel Zeichner]

To return to the beginning, the Minister extols the Government’s progress, but how does she square that with the Office for Environmental Protection’s statement:

“We assessed 23 environmental targets and found none where Government’s progress was demonstrably on track”?

[Trudy Harrison]

The hon. Gentleman makes the point that targets are easy to set, which is why the Environment Act 2021 requires the Secretary of State to make meaningful and achievable targets. Further details of how we will achieve those targets are not far away. They will be set out in our environmental improvement plan. I look forward to sharing it with colleagues when it is published on 31 January. These targets are stretching. They are challenging. They require Government to work with the whole of society to achieve, but the results are worth fighting for: an improved environment, left in a better state than we found it. That is the intention of this Government. These targets support exactly that.

Question put.