Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
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 support (a) farmers and (b) food producers in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency with extreme temperatures.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For some farmers, the hot, dry weather has had an impact on crop growth, yield and quality and has been of concern to growers in the arable and horticulture sectors. The main impacts appear to be on non-irrigated horticulture crops dependent on rainfall and the availability of grass for both grazing and conservation as winter animal feed.
The impacts will vary by region, crop and soil type among other factors. It is still too soon to say with certainty the final impact of the hot and dry conditions on crops.
To support farmers in the immediate term we have instructed the Environment Agency to take a flexible regulatory approach to its water abstraction decisions. Additionally, on 17 August we announced easements on Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship rules allowing farmers to cut or graze areas of land set aside in their agreements. These measures will last until the end of 2022, making it easier for farmers to provide food for livestock.
We continue to keep the situation under close review and have increased engagement with industry to supplement Government analysis with real-time intelligence. This provides the Government with the best possible intelligence on how the sector is coping.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish regular water quality data from the public water abstraction points being affected by HS2.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In England, water companies have a duty to carry out assessments to identify any risks to the water supply from source to tap, which includes any large-scale construction work in the area. They will monitor the quality of water at abstraction points and, where necessary, put mitigations in place to ensure that drinking water supplies are protected and comply with drinking water standards at all times. The raw water quality results are reported to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the independent regulator of drinking water in England and Wales, and shared with the Environment Agency.
The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water publishes quarterly and annual reports covering drinking water quality testing and results, public confidence in drinking water and technical audit activity.
https://www.dwi.gov.uk/en/what-we-do/annual-report/
The Environment Agency publishes raw water quality results. Due to National Security considerations, not all data on specific abstraction points is published.
https://environment.data.gov.uk/water-quality/view/landing
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
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 help enhance chalk streams located in Hitchin and Harpenden constituency, including in the river (a) Hiz, (b) Oughton, (c) Purwell, (d) Mimram, (e) Lea and (f) Ver.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government and the Environment Agency (EA) is implementing actions identified in the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) Chalk Streams Restoration Strategy, including improving its assessment of the flow pressure in chalk streams and working with partners to identify actions to improve flows.
Within the Hitchin and Harpenden constituency, the EA is working with the Catchment Partnership to develop river restoration projects on chalk streams near Whitwell. Further downstream on the River Mimram, it is engaging with landowners and working with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust on sites at Digswell and Panshanger Park to narrow over wide and straightened channels.
On the River Lea, the EA is working with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to improve sites at Batford Springs Nature Reserve and at the Meads in Wheathampstead, stabilising banks and improving in channel and bankside vegetation.
On the River Ver, the EA is working with St Albans District Council to revitalise the water environment in Verulamium Park, restoring the River Ver to a more natural chalk stream, more resilient to climate change, and better able to support iconic chalk stream biodiversity. It has also been engaging with the Gorhambury estate to develop restoration projects.
The EA is currently in discussions with Affinity Water concerning an environmental improvement project for the River Hiz and securing funds though Ofwat’s Price Review process. In addition, since 1996, an augmentation scheme has been operational for the Rivers Hiz and Oughton to supplement flows from groundwater in times of dry weather to mitigate against the impact of abstraction.
The Government and the EA will continue to work with Water Resources East and Water Resources South East to define the long term environmental ambition for the area, including that for chalk streams.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
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 his Department has taken to (a) mitigate the impact of droughts and (b) improve water security.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Despite the dry summer, water companies have assured us that essential water supplies remain resilient across the country. It is their duty to maintain those supplies. Defra ministers have called for water company action in accordance with their pre-agreed drought plans.
The Environment Agency (EA) has activated its drought incident management plans as part of its role to balance the needs of water companies, other abstractors and the environment. EA has implemented restrictions on 270 spray irrigation abstraction licence holders to restrict abstraction to 50% of their licensed quantity. Over 1000 “hands-off” flow constraints are in place to protect the environment and the most critical abstractions.
The National Drought Group, made up of senior decision-makers from the government, the EA, water companies and key representative groups is meeting regularly to agree the actions required to manage the current impacts of the drought and reduce the risks into next year.
The National Framework for Water Resources, published in March 2020, sets out the strategic water needs for England to 2050 and beyond. The Framework sets out how we will reduce demand, halve leakage rates, develop new water supply infrastructure, move water to where it’s needed, increase drought resilience of water supplies and reduce the need for drought measures that can harm the environment.
Water companies are also using the £469 million made available by Ofwat in the current Price Review period (2019-2024) to improve the resilience of England’s water supplies. In the Autumn 2022, water companies will publish their statutory draft Water Resources Management Plans for consultation, which set out how they will secure water supplies in the long term.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of water abstraction on chalk streams.
Answered by Steve Double
Restoring England's internationally important chalk streams is a Government priority. The Environment Agency (EA) continually assesses and monitors ground water levels that impact chalk streams. This long term monitoring has shown that water abstraction is potentially having a negative impact on a third of all chalk rivers. It is because of this that an updated assessment of all of England's rivers will be included in updated River Basin Management Plans to be published later this year.
The EA has been working with the Chalk Stream Restoration Group to identify and address the issues that are preventing chalk streams from being in good ecological health. A Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy was published in 2021 and government will publish its response to the Strategy later this year.
The EA works closely with water companies on Regional Water Resources Plans, to set out how abstraction impacts on the environment can be reduced, and also how population growth and climate change can be accommodated without causing environmental deterioration. We expect chalk streams to feature in this work. Regional Water Resources Plans will be consulted on this autumn.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to help prevent excessive water abstraction in areas with high water stress.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency regulates the abstraction of water from rivers, lakes and groundwater across England on behalf of the government. Defra and the Environment Agency launched the Abstraction Plan in December 2017 setting out how the Environment Agency will deliver abstraction reform to protect the environment from unsustainable abstraction. The Abstraction plan is now being implemented. In addition, the Environment Agency is updating its local Abstraction Licensing Strategies for all catchments by 2027, to set out how much water is available for abstraction whilst taking account of local environmental needs.
Furthermore, Water Resources Management Plans, produced by water companies, set out how water supply needs are met from sustainable sources over a 25 year period. New Water Resources Management Plans will be consulted on at the end of 2022.
The Environment Agency's Restoring Sustainable Abstraction programme has already returned 49 billion litres of water to the environment, including 37 billion litres of water to chalk streams since it started in 2008. During this time the Environment Agency has removed the risk of approximately 900 billion litres of water being abstracted from unused or underused abstraction licences.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many times since 1 January 2010 (a) the Environment Agency, or (b) any other government agency, was alerted of a possible breach in licensing conditions for water abstraction or discharge in chalk rivers and streams within (i) the Itchen, and (ii) other chalk stream catchments, (2) the dates and locations of such possible breaches, (3) what tests were conducted in response, (4) what the results were of any such tests, and (5) what steps were taken as a result of any breaches to licensing conditions that were identified (a) to penalise the perpetrators, and (b) deter further breaches.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to ensure that all of England’s rivers and lakes achieve a good ecological status.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to delivering clean and plentiful water, using a range of approaches to tackle the many pressures the water environment faces. We will be setting at least one new, legally binding target on water quality through the Environment Bill.
Working closely with the Environment Agency (EA), we are tackling river and lake pollution from poor farming practices with regulation, financial incentives and educational schemes for farmers. Our Catchment Sensitive Farming programme is giving important advice and support to farmers, operating across England, in the areas of highest risk of water pollution from agriculture, directing effort where it is needed most and maximising value for money for the taxpayer. Our new Environmental Land Management scheme, which we are rolling out over the course of this Parliament, will also reward farmers for sustainable farming practices that protect and enhance water quality.
Water company investment in environmental improvements has been scaled up to £7.1 billion over the period 2020-25. The storm overflow task force and new measures through the Environment Bill will focus effort on sewage discharge from storm overflows and our new chemicals strategy will build on an already robust statutory regime to ensure chemicals are managed and handled safely. To improve river levels and flows, the EA made changes to over 300 abstraction licences since 2008, which has returned 47 billion litres of water a year to the environment. We know that there is a lot of work to do in order to meet our goals for clean and plentiful water, set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan. We will take considered, focused and informed action to drive real progress.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
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 provide a definition of sustainable abstraction in respect of removing water from chalk steam (a) aquifers and (b) rivers; and what criterion his Department takes into account in protecting such water environments from environmental damage.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Restoring England’s internationally important chalk streams is a Government priority.
The Environment Agency (EA) regulates abstraction from chalk streams and aquifers in the same way as from any other source. It set out its approach in a recent policy paper, Managing Water Abstraction.
An abstraction licence is unsustainable if:
For rivers, the EA uses the Environmental Flow Indicator as the default flow required to support Good Ecological Status in water bodies and to prevent deterioration. For existing abstraction, local ecological evidence is used to show whether an abstraction is causing environmental damage.
For groundwater, the EA uses 4 tests to assess groundwater bodies:
The EA is developing long term plans to reduce our reliance on chalk streams. The publication of the CaBA Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy later this year will set out recommendations on how to restore and protect England’s chalk streams. The EA is committed to working with all chalk stream stakeholders to better understand what more it can do in both the short and long term to make a difference on the ground.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits including of a water neutral planning policy requirement within the OxCam development.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
On 18 February the Government published 'Planning for sustainable growth in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc' which sets out the principles for how we will develop a Spatial Framework for the Arc. The Spatial Framework will support a long-term, coordinated approach to planning, to ensure economic, social and environmental (both built and natural) opportunities are realised, and improve the Arc as a place to live and work.
The Policy Paper outlines that we will set high standards for new development and support an integrated approach to water management. This integrated approach will take into account sustainable water abstraction, drought and flood resilience, water quality and the risk of flooding, and will consider how and where new water related infrastructure should be developed. As part of the Policy Paper, we have also committed to identifying environmental Opportunity Areas, which will include water services infrastructure, and incorporate nature-based solutions.
The Spatial Framework will be supported by a robust and comprehensive evidence base, developed in conjunction with key stakeholders. The evidence base will include an extensive range of environmental technical assessments, to inform policy development. The evidence base will be underpinned by a fully integrated Sustainability Appraisal (SA), to ensure we understand the likely environmental, social and economic implications of the implementation of proposed policies. This process will present the opportunity for further refinement of the proposed polices, ensuring sustainability aspirations are realised as far as is practicable, before we finalise, adopt and implement them. The SA will include a full assessment of the implications of policies on the water environment.
The content and nature of the environmental policies within the Spatial Framework will emerge once the evidence base has been consolidated, and SA assessments have been undertaken.