Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the water sources within the Colne Valley are now designated as having a poor chemical status because of the deterioration of the Blackford source; and on what date this designation changed.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Colne (confluence with the Chess to Thames) water body's chemical status deteriorated from Good in 2016, to Fail in 2019. This was due to the incorporation in the testing regime of two priority hazardous substances which were not previously classified. These are Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) which were classified as 'Fail' in 2019, resulting in the water body chemical status change. The chemical status change is not linked to the status of the Blackford Pumping Station.
The 2019 river classification for chemicals reflected a change in the methods used to classify English water bodies to more accurately report the presence of certain chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment. The Environment Agency is working with a range of partners in England to reduce inputs at source and to better understand the impact on the environment from highly persistent chemicals.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the expected annual (a) resource and (b) capital expenditure will be on the Major Projects Portfolio projects entitled (i) Bridgwater Barrier, (ii) Nature for Climate Fund, (iii) Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme, (iv) Leeds Phase Two Flood Scheme and (v) River Thames Scheme in each financial year of those projects; and if he will place that information in the House of Commons Library.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information requested can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/infrastructure-and-projects-authority-annual-report-2022.
Asked by: John Redwood (Conservative - Wokingham)
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 help refill reservoirs from river abstraction, in the context of increases in rainfall and river water flow.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies are taking action to improve public water supplies, especially refilling reservoirs. They are using drought permits to allow them to take water from rivers, including new sources, or to modify or suspend conditions in their existing abstraction licences. When the Environment Agency (EA) determine a drought permit application they will ensure there are mitigating conditions in place to protect the environment. The EA is encouraging water companies to submit drought permit applications early to help improve supplies over winter in preparation for next spring and summer. The EA has granted 18 drought permits for South West Water, Thames Water, Severn Trent Water and South East Water. Defra has also determined a drought order for Yorkshire Water. The EA is determining further permit applications for Southwest Water, Yorkshire Water and Thames Water.
We are also helping the agriculture sector refill their reservoirs over the winter. The EA is monitoring and forecasting flows to advise the farming sector when they can abstract in line with their licence conditions, which protect the environment and other water users. October rainfall was typically above average meaning that many farmers could start refilling their reservoirs and we are encouraging them to maximise all opportunities to do this, given November is forecast to be dry in many parts of the country.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
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 is taking to help ensure that untreated sewage is not discharged into the River Thames.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The amount of sewage discharges by water companies is unacceptable. £1.9 billion has been invested in the Thames Tideway Tunnel, which will be completed in 2025. This project will be the largest privately funded infrastructure project in Europe. The tunnel and other improvements will reduce the annual volume of untreated wastewater entering the tidal Thames by 95%, protecting biodiversity and the public health of river users.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Thames Path National Trail features alternate routes along both banks of the Thames in London; and whether it is possible for a National Trail to have alternate or dual routes.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Thames Path provides a route on both the north and south banks of the river in Central London in order to facilitate the viewing or visiting attractions along the Thames Embankment. Such ‘braided’ routes may be created where there is of particular recreational benefit or where landscapes or features of interest which otherwise may be missed or, on Trails open to horse riders and cyclists, where the preferred route is unsuitable for, or unavailable to them.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of London Port Authorities proposal to expand control over the Thames riverbank eastwards of Teddington Lock.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The proposed HRO for PLA does not seek to change PLAs limits beyond the existing boundary in that part of the river, and the limits will remain approximately 100 metres east of Teddington Lock at the boundary stone. The HRO includes proposed changes to PLA's jurisdiction including the removal areas of docks and clarifying the landward and seaward limits of their jurisdiction by reference to coordinates. Some areas of land are proposed to be included, however this is not an extensive area. This HRO has been subject to wide consultation that ended on 12 October 2021. The MMO and PLA are considering the responses to that consultation. The Department is engaged with both parties on the content of the final HRO.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of transporting construction materials and debris via the River Thames during the (a) construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre and (b) restoration of the parliamentary estate.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The UK Holocaust Memorial project team has held preliminary discussions with representatives from the R&R programme to discuss potential efficiencies in using the River Thames for both construction projects. The different timetables of each project may limit opportunities for cost-effective co-operation.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions the Sponsor Body has had with (a) experts and (b) industry leaders in (i) haulage and (ii) construction to ensure that the River Thames is effectively utilised during the construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The UK Holocaust Memorial project team has held preliminary discussions with representatives from the R&R programme to discuss potential efficiencies in using the River Thames for both construction projects. The different timetables of each project may limit opportunities for cost-effective co-operation.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of levels of carbon emissions from pleasure boats on the River Thames; and what plans he has to reduce those emissions.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
DfT has not produced specific estimates of carbon emissions from pleasure boats on the River Thames. The levels of carbon emissions from domestic shipping, including pleasure boats, are published by BEIS as part of the final estimates of UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions.
The Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) published last year, set out our commitments to decarbonise shipping emissions, including from pleasure boats. This includes including consultations on the establishment of indicative targets from 2030 to 2050, and a potential phase out date for non-zero domestic emission vessels in the UK.
Alongside the TDP we launched a £23m Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, match funding innovative projects in zero emission shipping technologies. Building on the success of this initiative, this month we have announced £206 million of R&D investment in zero emission technologies, as part of the establishment of a UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question
To ask the Right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside representing the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body, what steps the Sponsor Body is taking to help ensure that the construction of the Holocaust Memorial Centre is conducted sustainably.
Answered by Mark Tami
The scope of the Restoration and Renewal Programme does not include the construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. The UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre is a matter for the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Representatives from the R&R Programme have held preliminary discussions with representatives working on the Memorial and Learning Centre to discuss potential efficiencies in using the River Thames for both construction projects. We intend to continue these discussions once the planning process for the Memorial and Learning Centre is concluded.
The R&R Programme is currently in the design phase and, under the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019, no restoration works other than preparatory works (such as initial design works and surveys) can be carried out at this juncture.