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1491265

registered interest
date	20/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Air Pollution: Monitoring
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitoring network in order to monitor the progress made towards achieving the air pollution targets set under the Environment Act 2021.
tabling member printed	Baroness Merron
uin	HL1977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2022 answer text <p>As part of our work to assess progress towards the new PM<sub>2.5</sub> targets, we have already invested £1m to expand the PM<sub>2.5</sub> monitoring network in 2021/22, and have added 17 monitoring sites (as of July 2022) to the existing 63 (December 2021). By the end of 2025 we will have invested a further £10m to at least double the size of the original PM<sub>2.5</sub> network.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 29/07/2022 09:02:38 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	347 label Biography information for Baroness Merron

1490872

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Climate Change
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to consult with local authorities on a long-term plan for dealing with future climate change events causing (1) extreme heat, and (2) flooding.
tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
uin	HL1903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2022 answer text <p>We are consulting local authorities on the development of the UK's third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3). This is our long-term plan for building a more climate resilient country and our response to the latest assessment of UK climate risks, which is due for publication in 2023 and will run until 2028. This programme will address the advice contained in the third and latest assessment of UK climate risk (CCRA3) from January 2022, which included 61 climate risks and opportunities to the UK, including those related to overheating and floods.</p><p> </p><p>We are primarily consulting local authorities through the Local Adaptation Advisory Panel, a Defra-hosted forum focused on climate adaptation issues that brings together central and local government, as well as via the Local Government Association. We are also engaging with groups like the Environment Board of the local representative organisation the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT).</p><p> </p><p>This work builds on previous central-local government collaboration on the development of previous NAPs, including NAP2. NAP2, published in 2018 and running until 2023, includes actions for local government</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 29/07/2022 09:02:12 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

1490024

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Infrastructure: Weather
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that infrastructure is resistant to high temperatures.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1883
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/08/2022 answer text <p>The Climate Change Act 2008 created a framework for strengthening UK preparedness for dealing with risks caused by the changing climate. This includes:</p><p> </p><p>- Preparing, on a five yearly cycle, a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP), setting out actions to address the risks identified in the latest <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fuk-climate-change-risk-assessment-2022&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cclimate%40defra.gov.uk%7C84d80be5adb94916611008da68ac3f78%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637937386245856310%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=j37aeERrDQ2BCHNFOxqN3W4Fztxp%2FrS6d4Wnk6C%2BMX0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">CCRA</a> (copy attached to this answer).</p><p> </p><p>- Providing the Secretary of State with the ‘Adaptation Reporting Power’ that enables us to require (or invite) public bodies and major infrastructure providers to report on their preparedness for climate change. The latest reports can be viewed online at gov.uk.</p><p> </p><p>Our electricity infrastructure is highly resilient and designed to operate in hot weather. In the event that energy infrastructure is impacted by extreme heat, the energy sector has long-standing plans and procedures to respond and repair any damage to infrastructure.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 01/08/2022 12:28:56 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park attachment 1 file name UK Climate Change Risk Assesment 2022.pdf title UK CCRA 2022
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1490079

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control: Somerset Levels
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the preparedness of flood defences in the Somerset levels and marshes for winter 2022–23.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1879
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/08/2022 answer text <p>The Somerset Levels and Moors remains prone to flooding, due to its low-lying nature and a rapidly changing climate. £80 million of public investment has been made in this landscape following the floods of 2013-14 to help it adapt. This significant investment has allowed improved physical infrastructure that allows pre-emptive action to be taken to delay the onset of flooding and to evacuate water more effectively from this low-lying area. This enables communities to be more resilient and to recover more rapidly from flooding.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency is implementing nature-based solutions at a landscape scale and working with individual landowners to support this, enhance biodiversity and increase the capacity of the landscape to absorb water and slow flooding whilst creating carbon storage.</p><p> </p><p>Construction work will start next year on the £100 million Bridgwater Barrier, one of the largest flood defence schemes in the country, which was identified as an action in the 20-year Flood Action Plan for Somerset. This will reduce tidal flood risk to over 13,000 residential homes and businesses and ensure that high tide levels do not adversely impact on the Somerset Levels and Moors.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 04/08/2022 14:58:36 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1489468

registered interest
date	14/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Water Supply
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the current level of water supply given the heatwave in parts of the UK; and what plans they have to deal with any shortage of supply.
tabling member printed	Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
uin	HL1772
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2022 answer text <p>Water companies are reporting that water storage levels are adequate for supply this summer. Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of wholesome water at all times. They are legally required to have robust plans in place to maintain the supply of water in a range of hazards, including heatwaves.</p><p> </p><p>Water companies use a range of measures to manage higher water demand expected during heatwaves and respond to any disruption. These measures include ensuring their networks are prepared, customer communications to help manage demand, rerouting of water via their networks, and the provision of alternative water supplies, for example via tanker deliveries. In the event of disruptions, water companies also maintain priority access registers, which vulnerable customers can register with for provision of bottled water.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is communicating frequently with water companies to monitor their performance and reiterate the importance of maintaining supplies to customers.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 28/07/2022 13:35:43 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

1488579

registered interest
date	12/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Development Aid: Biodiversity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to use Official Development Assistance funds to support countries to deliver an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity; and if so, how.
tabling member printed	Lord Randall of Uxbridge
uin	HL1706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2022 answer text <p>The UK has committed to spend at least £3bn of International Climate Finance between 2021/22 and 2025/26 on development solutions that protect and restore nature. As set out in the Government’s recently published International Development Strategy, the UK is also taking steps to ensure UK bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) overall becomes ‘nature positive’, aligning with the international goal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, and the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, once agreed.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is implementing a range of ODA funded programmes, including some ICF funded activities, to support developing countries to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. These include: the £100m Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, supporting improved management of six highly biodiverse landscapes worldwide; an expanded Darwin Initiative (£93.75m) funding conservation projects and building capacity in developing countries; work to tackle the Illegal Wildlife Trade which is a key driver of biodiversity loss (£30m); the UK’s Blue Planet Fund (£500m), supporting developing countries to protect and sustainably manage marine ecosystems; and a new Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (up to £40m) to deliver R&amp;D on policy solutions for climate challenges through action on biodiversity. In addition, we are scoping potential further work to support developing countries in meeting the draft Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30x30 target to protect and restore critical ecosystems.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 25/07/2022 08:50:19 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	209 label Biography information for Lord Randall of Uxbridge

1488580

registered interest
date	12/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Marine Environment: International Cooperation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to support the international implementation of the Global Ocean Alliance 30by30 initiative.
tabling member printed	Lord Randall of Uxbridge
uin	HL1707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2022 answer text <p>Since 2019, the UK has been leading the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) of countries championing ambitious ocean action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the ‘30by30’ target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. The ocean has historically been underrepresented in the CBD, and the GOA plays an important role in raising the profile of ocean and marine issues.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to leading the GOA, the UK also serves as Co-Chair of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature &amp; People, alongside Costa Rica and France. The HAC champions 30by30 for both the land and the ocean. Between these two UK-led alliances, nearly 120 countries support 30by30 for the ocean, and over 100 countries support 30by30 for both the land and the ocean.</p><p> </p><p>As we approach the 15<sup>th</sup> Conference of Parties (COP15) to the CBD in December 2022, the UK will continue its proactive leadership role in both the GOA and HAC, working with Costa Rica, France, and members of both ambition groups, to call for the 30by30 target to be enshrined within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).</p><p> </p><p>The UK is committed to securing an ambitious outcome at COP15, including ambitious outcomes for the ocean, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss globally by 2030. It is also crucial that we continue working after COP15 to support the global implementation of the GBF, including the 30by30 target.</p><p> </p><p>We are therefore delighted that the UK, Costa Rica, and France published a joint communique during the Stockholm+50 conference in June 2022, outlining plans for the HAC for Nature and People to evolve into a new phase to support the implementation of the 30by30 target following COP15, and we welcome the opportunity this provides for further collaboration with the GOA both ahead of and post-COP15.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the UK continues to provide support for marine protection internationally, including through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund. The Blue Planet Fund, financed from the UK overseas aid budget, will support developing countries to protect and sustainably manage their marine resources and address human-generated threats across four key themes: biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution, and sustainable seafood.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 20/07/2022 10:17:43 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	209 label Biography information for Lord Randall of Uxbridge

1487672

registered interest
date	08/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Water: Sewage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased releases of raw sewage into waterways on animal farming, in light of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci being found in more than 10 per cent of supermarket pork products.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL1591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government has made improving water quality a priority. The Environment Act has placed our ambition on a statutory footing, setting a duty for water companies to achieve a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. Our Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan will be published in September and will set out the targets water companies will be required to meet to achieve this.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, no assessment has been undertaken on sewage discharges on animal farming more generally. Pharmaceuticals may enter the environment during the manufacture and disposal of pharmaceutical products, or as they pass through humans and animals into wastewater treatment networks or the wider environment.</p><p> </p><p>There is much to be done to improve our understanding of the impacts that pharmaceuticals have on the environment, but some are known to cause adverse impacts on aquatic life and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency (EA) and Defra has worked with Water UK on the Chemicals Investigation Programme to investigate the fate and travel of antimicrobial resistance through waste water treatment works, and are advocating more work via the 2024 price review.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 21/07/2022 16:14:05 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1487685

registered interest
date	08/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control: Housing and Roads
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis, if any, of storm water from (1) the roofs of houses, and (2) highways, they have undertaken to establish whether such water can be discharged safely into (a) water courses, and (b) the sea.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>In July 2021, the Environment Agency (EA) produced <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-environment/the-state-of-the-environment-the-urban-environment" target="_blank">The State of the Environment: The Urban Environment report</a> (www.gov.uk/government/publications/state-of-the-environment/the-state-of-the-environment-the-urban-environment), which includes an overview of the impact of urban and highways surface water run-off in England. Run off from roofs and roads has historically been considered suitable for discharge to watercourses with the overriding driver being efficient drainage to maintain highway safety, but increasingly the impact of this run-off is being better understood, particularly in inland watercourses. There is little risk to the sea because of ample dilution.</p><p> </p><p>National Highways continue to work with the EA to better understand pollutants in road runoff and effective treatment strategies. There is ongoing work to better understand the contribution from the Strategic Road Network (SRN) to micro plastic pollution and to build on earlier research to investigate the presence of other contaminates of potential concern not previously monitored.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 26/07/2022 14:55:13 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1487686

registered interest
date	08/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Flood Control: Housing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they (1) are taking, and (2) plan to take, to encourage households to (a) store, and (b) provide soakaways for, rainwater; and what assessment they have made of incentivising the adoption of such practices through reductions in (i) council tax, or (ii) water and drainage fixed rates.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2022 answer text <p>We support the use of blue green infrastructure, such as sustainable drainage systems and grey water recycling to manage surface water, across existing and new communities. We have placed a greater emphasis on this in our 25 Year Environment Plan, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy Statement and updated planning policy.</p><p>We are currently reviewing the implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act (2010). This schedule introduces standards for new sustainable drainage systems and makes connection to public sewers conditional on approval of the drainage system before any construction work can commence. National standards will set out a hierarchy of destinations for surface water runoff to ensure the most effective drainage system is delivered that will help alleviate pressures on the sewer network, as well as reducing flood risk, harvesting rainwater and improving water quality, amenity and biodiversity.</p><p>As set out in our <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fquestions-statements.parliament.uk%2Fwritten-statements%2Fdetail%2F2021-07-01%2Fhcws140&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C543aa2e2f0b24357ee0408da6bbcaa2b%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637940755293978692%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hHQN1aYIxbNiaB4jbEqslW22eMpli3A6AGo0KiQsaqM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Written Ministerial Statement on Water Demand in July 2021</a>, we are developing a roadmap towards greater water efficiency in new housing developments and retrofits. This includes the exploration of revised building regulations and how the development of new technologies can contribute to meeting these standards. We will ensure that the underlying legislation can, where appropriate, accommodate any potential future expansion of rainwater harvesting, water re-use and storage options.</p><p>Households who can show that their premises are not connected to the public sewer for surface water drainage are already entitled to a bill discount via a surface water drainage rebate from their water company.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 22/07/2022 13:25:13 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton