Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, since 30 April 2024, (1) what is the volume of consignments containing plants and plant products from the EU at Border Control Posts; and (2) what is the number of physical inspections at Border Control Posts of plants and plant products that have been (a) required and (b) completed.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Monitoring and enforcing the border controls introduced under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is undertaken collaboratively between bodies including Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Border Force and HMRC.
Our checks are intelligence-led and based on biosecurity risk: It would be inappropriate for us to set out operational details such as the exact inspection details from 30 April.
Checking details, such as time taken to review consignments, could be used by bad actors looking for exploitable elements of the border to facilitate illegal imports
Furthermore, this information is also commercially sensitive. HMG does not wish to impact trader choice of route as details of checks completed may advantage/disadvantage other ports as traders may BCP shop to find what appears on paper to be the “fastest route”.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of barriers to trade presented by the "Not for EU" labelling scheme including whether the labelling requirements make UK products appear inferior to consumers.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Not for EU’ labelling is a requirement of the Windsor Framework and does not represent a change in standards of production and quality. Defra works closely with the agri-food sector to support them with labelling requirements and to ensure the continued supply of goods into Northern Ireland. The previous Government consulted on the proposal to extend the 'Not for EU' labelling requirement across Great Britain. This Government is carefully considering the evidence provided and no legislation to give effect to these arrangements has yet been taken forward.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 reduce sewage discharges by Wessex Water and South West water in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the first week of the new Government, the Secretary of State met with water company bosses, including Wessex Water and South West Water, to make it clear that water firms will be held accountable for their performance for customers and the environment. During the meeting, water bosses signed up to the Government’s initial package of reforms to reduce sewage pollution and attract investment to upgrade infrastructure.
This Government has also introduced legislation that will allow us to put water companies under special measures, bring criminal charges against persistent law-breaking water executives, and ban the payment of bonuses to executives of water companies who pollute our waterways. This bill will deliver the most significant increase in enforcement powers in a decade.
I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure, through the land use framework or other mechanisms, that local and larger-scale battery storage facilities are placed in appropriate locations on suitable land classes.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has published Planning Practice Guidance, which details what applicants seeking planning permission for battery energy storage systems can do to ensure they consider any potential risks. By law, planning applications are determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the decision taker in the first instance. Planning Practice Guidance encourages battery storage developers and local planning authorities to engage with Local Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) before submitting and determining planning application, so that issues of the siting and location of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are dealt with before the application is made.
Spatial planning will play an important role in the delivery of the Government’s growth and clean energy missions. The Land Use Framework will work hand-in-hand with the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, which will support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across England, Scotland and Wales, identifying appropriate areas for power generation and storage infrastructure including batteries.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the report by Zero Hour, Creating a Nature-rich UK, published on 13 September 2023.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A key recommendation of Zero Hour’s “Creating a Nature-rich UK” report is for the Government to develop a coordinated plan to implement nature-based solutions, to tackle climate change and support nature recovery.
The Government is committed to protecting and restoring the environment and recognises the role of nature-based solutions in achieving this aim. We have set out our intention to accelerate progress to net zero, tackle the pollution of our rivers and seas, expand nature rich habitats such as wetlands, peat bogs and forests, and make our environmental land management schemes work for both farmers and nature.
On 30 July we announced a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan to be completed by the end of the year. We will develop a new statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery to meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets. It will focus on cleaning up our waterways, reducing waste across the economy, planting millions more trees, improving air quality, and halting the decline in species by 2030. We will consider the use of nature-based solutions in delivery of these aims.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still intend to ensure that the King Charles III England Coast Path is fully walkable by the end of 2024 and, if not, whether they have a revised timetable for delivery.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Unfortunately, the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) will not be fully walkable by the end of 2024. However, by the end of December 2024 up to 62% of the KCIIIECP will be completed, along with the wider coastal access rights between the path and mean low water (coastal margin), and provision to roll back the trail with an eroding coast and reduced occupiers’ liability towards the public that the KCIIIECP provides.
This will result in 95% of the English coast being walkable through a combination of completed KCIIIECP / coastal access rights (as above), public rights of way and de facto access.
Work continues on the KCIIIECP, with another 57 miles opening this week in Lincolnshire and more commencements planned this year. 1251 miles are now open and available for public use, with works taking place on another 1144 miles. Less than 300 miles are yet to be approved.
We are working at pace to ensure completion as soon as possible. We will develop a revised timetable with Natural England for 2025/2026 to determine when all 2700 miles of the KCIIIECP will be complete and open to public access.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the agribusiness sector in reaching net zero carbon emissions targets.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to delivering net zero by 2050 and we will work in collaboration with farmers and others with a stake in our food system towards this.
The transition to more climate friendly practices will go hand in hand with food security and farm productivity. We will support farmers to adopt low carbon farming practices, increasing the carbon stored on their land while boosting profitability.
As part of this, we will optimise environmental land management schemes to make them work for farmers and nature, and introduce a land-use framework, helping to protect both the environment, food security and livelihoods.
We will also look carefully at how to enable the benefits of innovation in reaching net zero carbon targets and the integration of new technologies and best practice into farming practices.
Furthermore, to support our farming businesses, we will protect them from being undercut in trade deals, make the supply chain work more fairly and prevent shock rises in bills by switching on GB Energy.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) halt, and (2) reverse, nature loss by 2030.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to protecting and restoring nature. In England, we are committed to halting the decline in species abundance by 2030 and reversing it by 2042. We are also committed to reducing the risk of species extinction and restoring and creating more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042.
Delivering these targets sits at the very heart of our mission to ensure nature’s recovery. To meet them we will create, restore and connect wildlife-rich habitat, reduce pressures on species including from pollution and climate change and take targeted action to recover specific species, working in partnership with civil society, communities and business.
On 30 July, we announced a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan to be completed before the end of the year to make sure it is fit for purpose. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery to meet each of our Environment Act targets.
Ministers are reviewing new policies which will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to raising the goal for National Parks to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2040.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protected Landscapes (both National Parks and National Landscapes) will be vital to our national targets, including net zero. We are exploring how the Government can empower them to deliver on their full potential - including in protecting nature’s carbon sinks, such as peatlands and woodlands. The Government welcomes the international leadership from the UK's National Park Authorities in joining the Race to Zero initiative, aiming to become net zero by 2040 and significant carbon sinks by 2050.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to requiring the Forestry Commission to increase the number of tree species supported for new planting in order to increase the resilience of forests to climate change.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) supports both coniferous and broadleaf woodlands. The latest update to the UKFS will come into force on 1 October 2024. All afforestation projects in England should conform to the UKFS requirements to ensure that the right trees are being planted in the right place and version five does not allow a single species to constitute more than 65% of a new forest. Primary and secondary forestry species, as defined by Forest Research, are eligible for funding through the England Woodland Creation Offer; in addition, emerging forestry species can constitute up to 15% of the trees planted although this element will be screened to ensure they are appropriate to the site and local wildlife, and their planting sites are recorded.