Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
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 her Department has taken to halt and reverse species decline in Sussex.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets. To achieve these targets, we are taking large-scale action to create, restore, manage and protect habitats, reduce pressures on biodiversity, and support species recovery, in order meet our legally binding biodiversity targets. This includes £60 million over three years for the Species Recovery Programme, the largest government investment of its kind, and a further £30 million for species recovery on the national forest estate. Environmental Land Management schemes also provide substantial support for habitat creation, management, and targeted species action.
Defra Group has supported West Sussex and East Sussex County Councils to prepare their Local Nature Recovery Strategies with publication expected shortly. It will set nature recovery priorities and map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is working with local authorities to improve access to nature in deprived communities in Sussex.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has committed, as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, to work with 100 local authorities and developers to embed Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework. The framework provides guidance and practical tools to help local planning authorities and developers design high quality green spaces in urban areas.
This Government has also announced that we will bring forward an Access to Nature Green Paper to consult on proposals to improve and expand public access to the outdoors.
The Green Paper will set out a range of policy options and invite views from stakeholders, including local authorities, and the public.
This consultation will play an important role in shaping the development of future policy in this area. Further updates and a timeline for publication will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to amend Part 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 to ensure that ecology surveys have to be completed on land prior to any temporary permitted development.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no such plans.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
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 with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to support Wildlife Crime Officers and National Wildlife Crime Units to charge developers that contravene the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In England, a range of legislation provides strong protections for wildlife species and their habitats. Key frameworks such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 make it an offence to deliberately harm, disturb or otherwise interfere with protected species, except where permitted under licence.
In practice, this means development and land management activities must account for protected species at an early stage and either avoid impacts or, where necessary, secure appropriate mitigation and licensing. These frameworks are designed not to prevent activity outright, but to ensure that impacts on wildlife are minimised and that long-term recovery and sustainability are supported.
If a developer is investigated and found to have committed an offence under the WCA then they can get up to a six-month prison sentence and/or an unlimited fine. Wildlife crime is unacceptable. Defra is a principal funder of the National Wildlife Crime Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime and directly assists law enforcers in their investigations. Defra is providing £530,000 to the Unit in 2026/27.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made on the relative speed of deposit returns and alternative dispute resolution rates between insured and custodial tenancy deposit schemes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department receives data from Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) providers regarding the speed of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in respect of both custodial and insured schemes.
My Department also receives information about how quickly a deposit is returned to a tenant upon conclusion of ADR, and for the custodial scheme it receives data on how quickly a deposit is returned if there is no dispute.
Due to the nature of the insured scheme, where the landlord or agents keeps possession of deposit monies, if no dispute is raised there is no official record of how long it takes for the deposit monies to be returned to tenants. Based on recent Key Performance Indicator (KPI) figures for the custodial schemes, over 95% of disputed or undisputed deposits are returned to tenants within two days of notification of the conclusion of a dispute or agreement of any deductions.
However, a recent report from Citizens Advice states that 55% of tenants surveyed reported waiting longer than two weeks to have all or some of their deposit returned. Given the most recent KPI data shows custodial deposit returns are shorter than this, we have concluded that the insured scheme can create unnecessary delays to the detriment of tenants.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that nature restoration is integrated alongside clean energy deployment as part of wider environmental and climate resilience objectives.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that restoring nature and tackling climate change are intrinsically linked. We remain committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while also reversing nature loss, supported by existing legislation and policy frameworks.
Through the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, we are delivering clean energy deployment alongside wider environmental objectives, including improved air quality and access to nature.
Moving forward, the Government intends to deliver the second annual statement on the state of climate and nature to Parliament this summer. Like last year's statement, it will provide an honest appraisal of the state of climate and nature in the UK alongside highlighting the action being taken to benefit people now, as well as future generations.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential role of protected landscapes in delivering nature recovery and improving public wellbeing.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In recognition of their huge potential for nature, climate, people and place, Defra have established ambitious targets for National Parks and National Landscapes as set out in the Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework. Protected Landscapes also have a major role in delivering the 30by30 commitment, given the scale of land they manage and their leadership in nature recovery.
Defra have published the first report of progress against these targets in the Protected Landscape Targets and Outcomes Framework progress report - GOV.UK. This sets out the progress made in 2023 to 2025, and how Protected Landscapes are delivering against the nature recovery and access to nature elements of the EIP.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to inland waters for responsible recreational users.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and encourages safe and responsible access to the countryside through the Countryside Code and support for nationwide water safety campaigns.
Public access onto around 3,400 miles of our regulated inland waterways, including several of the larger rivers, is available through the licensing regimes of the navigation authorities that own or manage them.
As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, Defra committed to consulting on measures to ensure that everyone has access to nature close to home and to strengthen the public’s legal rights to access through an Access to Nature Green Paper to be published during this Parliament. This includes exploring the feasibility of increasing access onto unregulated waterways, and Defra is committed to working with stakeholders as this develops.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2026 to Question 123213 on Peers: Recruitment, whether a mandatory retirement age will be applied to direct ministerial appointments.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Direct ministerial appointees are public office holders and are therefore not employees. Their terms of engagement make clear that there is no construed contract of employment between an appointee and their appointing body. As such, typical conditions and entitlements under employment law, such as those around formal retirement, do not apply to public office holders.
Direct ministerial appointments are also generally short-term and non-recurring in nature. When making such appointments, ministers will take into account the suitability of prospective appointees to meet the criteria for the role and their ability to fulfil the role’s duties. Direct ministerial appointments are made entirely at the discretion of ministers, who may terminate such appointments at any time with or without notice.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the suitability and capability of Capita to deliver the Capita Synergy contract on time and on budget and meet the Key Performance Indicators.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The award of the contract followed a robust, two-year commercial procurement process, undertaken in compliance with Government procurement regulations and informed by specialist expertise from across the four participating departments. The process balanced service quality and cost, reflecting the critical nature of the services involved. The resulting business case was scrutinised by Treasury as per standard procedures for contract award.
The programme is already working on mobilisation of the Capita contract to ensure a smooth transition of service. The priority remains to ensure continuity of service and value for money for the public.