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1249534

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Plastics: Pollution Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105307 on Symphony Environmental: Plastics, what the Government's policy is on plastic which escapes into the open environment which cannot be collected.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	113020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the marine or terrestrial environment, and our focus is on creating a circular economy. The UK is recycling more than ever, achieving a 46% plastic packaging recycling rate in 2017, and the Government is committed to minimising the movement of waste for disposal elsewhere. Through our Resources &amp; Waste Strategy we have committed to take action to help stimulate investment in domestic reprocessing and recycling infrastructure. This includes through new policies such as extended producer responsibility and deposit return schemes for drinks containers (subject to further evidence and analysis); raising recycling targets for packaging across a number of materials and waste streams to increase the amount and quality of recycling and improve environmental outcomes.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not hold data that differentiates between non-biodegradable and biodegradable plastic litter. However, the UK does collect data on the quantity and type of marine litter in our waters, including data on seafloor litter, floating litter and beach litter, following methods agreed through the OSPAR Convention’s monitoring and assessment programmes. Data is available through the Marine Online Assessment Tool: <a href="https://moat.cefas.co.uk/" target="_blank">https://moat.cefas.co.uk/</a>. This data is used to help us monitor the levels and trends of plastic pollution and inform our decisions on how to tackle marine litter.</p><p> </p><p>We also published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The Litter Strategy brings together communities, businesses, charities and schools to bring about real change by focusing on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleaning and access to bins. A copy of the Litter Strategy can be found at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england</a>.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 113021 question first answered 12/11/2020 16:59:08 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1249535

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Plastics: Seas and Oceans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105307 on Symphony Environmental: Plastics, what estimate he has made of the amount of non-biodegradable plastic which has escaped into the open environment in England and its territorial waters in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	113021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. Our priority is preventing plastic from entering the marine or terrestrial environment, and our focus is on creating a circular economy. The UK is recycling more than ever, achieving a 46% plastic packaging recycling rate in 2017, and the Government is committed to minimising the movement of waste for disposal elsewhere. Through our Resources &amp; Waste Strategy we have committed to take action to help stimulate investment in domestic reprocessing and recycling infrastructure. This includes through new policies such as extended producer responsibility and deposit return schemes for drinks containers (subject to further evidence and analysis); raising recycling targets for packaging across a number of materials and waste streams to increase the amount and quality of recycling and improve environmental outcomes.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not hold data that differentiates between non-biodegradable and biodegradable plastic litter. However, the UK does collect data on the quantity and type of marine litter in our waters, including data on seafloor litter, floating litter and beach litter, following methods agreed through the OSPAR Convention’s monitoring and assessment programmes. Data is available through the Marine Online Assessment Tool: <a href="https://moat.cefas.co.uk/" target="_blank">https://moat.cefas.co.uk/</a>. This data is used to help us monitor the levels and trends of plastic pollution and inform our decisions on how to tackle marine litter.</p><p> </p><p>We also published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The Litter Strategy brings together communities, businesses, charities and schools to bring about real change by focusing on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleaning and access to bins. A copy of the Litter Strategy can be found at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england</a>.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 113020 question first answered 12/11/2020 16:59:08 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1249536

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Symphony Environmental: Plastics
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105307 on Symphony Environmental: Plastics, for what reason the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee did not hold discussions with the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association as part of that review; and if they will do so now.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	113022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee is an independent scientific advisory committee. We tasked them to conduct a literature review of the published scientific literature. Stakeholder engagement was therefore not part of this process.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 12/11/2020 17:06:15 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1249537

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Symphony Environmental: Plastics
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105307 on Symphony Environmental: Plastics, if he will work with the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association to review existing standards for the verification of oxo-biodegradable plastics to reduce confusion in the marketplace.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	113023
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>EN 13432:2000 is an industry-derived harmonised EU standard which lays down minimum requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. It is a standard that has been adopted by national standards bodies in many of the EU Member States. In the UK it is published as BS EN 13432 by the British Standards Institution. Only packaging which has passed relevant tests and assessments can carry the standard. It has not been adopted into UK legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Turning to standards and biodegradability more broadly, we are concerned that, in the absence of robust standards, claims about the biodegradability of plastic-based products cannot be verified leading to potential confusion in the market place, possible increased levels of consumption and potential environmental harm at the point of disposal. Furthermore, concerns persist that plastics which are claimed to be biodegradable, if littered or otherwise released into the environment in an uncontrolled way, may not degrade quickly or at all, and they can only be composted if they meet relevant standards.</p><p> </p><p>As a consequence of these concerns, the Government published a call for evidence in July 2019 to help consider the development of standards or certification criteria for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics as well as to better understand their effects on the environment and our current waste system. The call for evidence closed on 14 October 2019 and we are grateful for the responses submitted to us by industry and others. We are currently analysing the responses received to inform future policy and will publish a response to the call for evidence by the end of the year.</p><p> </p><p>We appreciate the engagement of industry in the call for evidence and welcome further engagement in future consultations and policy development as our work develops.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 113024 question first answered 12/11/2020 16:53:32 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1249538

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Plastics: Recycling
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2020 to Question 105307 on Symphony Environmental: Plastics, if he will prohibit the description of plastic as compostable if it is the type of plastic required by European Standard EN13432 to convert almost entirely into CO2 and not into compost.
tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
uin	113024
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>EN 13432:2000 is an industry-derived harmonised EU standard which lays down minimum requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. It is a standard that has been adopted by national standards bodies in many of the EU Member States. In the UK it is published as BS EN 13432 by the British Standards Institution. Only packaging which has passed relevant tests and assessments can carry the standard. It has not been adopted into UK legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Turning to standards and biodegradability more broadly, we are concerned that, in the absence of robust standards, claims about the biodegradability of plastic-based products cannot be verified leading to potential confusion in the market place, possible increased levels of consumption and potential environmental harm at the point of disposal. Furthermore, concerns persist that plastics which are claimed to be biodegradable, if littered or otherwise released into the environment in an uncontrolled way, may not degrade quickly or at all, and they can only be composted if they meet relevant standards.</p><p> </p><p>As a consequence of these concerns, the Government published a call for evidence in July 2019 to help consider the development of standards or certification criteria for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics as well as to better understand their effects on the environment and our current waste system. The call for evidence closed on 14 October 2019 and we are grateful for the responses submitted to us by industry and others. We are currently analysing the responses received to inform future policy and will publish a response to the call for evidence by the end of the year.</p><p> </p><p>We appreciate the engagement of industry in the call for evidence and welcome further engagement in future consultations and policy development as our work develops.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 113023 question first answered 12/11/2020 16:53:32 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1249572

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Floods: Building Regulations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2020 to Question 104129 on Floods: Building Regulations, if his Department will work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to update British Standard 85500:2015 on flood resilient construction for new buildings and retrofits for existing buildings to make it more explicit for the reinstatement of flood-damaged properties.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	113195
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The British Standards Institute is independent of Government and reviews its standards every five years. There is a consultation in progress as to whether to proceed with a review of BS85500:2015, which is due to close on 22 November.</p><p> </p><p>Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) keep in regular contact on these matters. MHCLG keeps building regulations under review.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 12/11/2020 17:09:48 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1249573

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2020 to Question 104127 on property level flood resilience grants, how many Risk Management Authorities have developed local Property Flood Resilience grant schemes and applied to Regional Flood and Coastal Committees for a contribution towards their cost through local-levy or grant-in-aid.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
tabling member printed	Stephanie Peacock
uin	113196
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>In England, 46 Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) have developed Property Flood Resilience (PFR) schemes with an element of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Grant-in-Aid or levy funding within the current investment period (2015-2021).</p><p> </p><p>Elements of PFR work may also be carried out within wider flood risk management schemes. However, it is not currently possible to readily identify the number of additional RMAs that have done this.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 12/11/2020 16:56:38 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4607 label Biography information for Stephanie Peacock

1249648

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
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	Fisheries: Greenland and Iceland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which species of fish are referred to in the Bilateral Fisheries Memoranda with (a) Greenland and (b) Iceland; and what effect those agreements have on fishing quotas.
tabling member constituency	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
tabling member printed	Angus Brendan MacNeil
uin	113029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The aims of the bilateral Memoranda of Understanding with Greenland and Iceland are to promote discussion and cooperation on fisheries issues with both of the two countries. Fishing opportunities form no part of either of these Memoranda. Accordingly, no species of fish are referred to and neither Memorandum has any effect on fishing quotas.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 12/11/2020 13:52:21 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	1546 label Biography information for Angus Brendan MacNeil

1250051

registered interest
date	06/11/2020
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	Brazil: Rainforests
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure the protection of the Amazon rainforest from increased illegal deforestation; and what plans he has to prevent UK businesses from using products sourced from illegally deforested land.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	91925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2020 answer text <p>The UK has worked in partnership with Brazil for many years to combat deforestation. Through the UK’s International Climate Finance we have funded £259 million of programmes (2012 – 2020) to support sustainable agriculture, and increase the value of standing forests, and restore degraded lands, working with multiple stakeholders in the country. As part of this, the UK recently announced an extension of £16 million to the Partnerships for Forests programme, which supports environmentally-friendly farming and replanting projects in the Amazon, taking its total investment in protecting tropical forests in Latin America to £80 million this financial year.</p><p> </p><p>We are also taking action at home. In 2019 the Government established the Global Resource Initiative taskforce to recommend actions to reduce the climate and environment impacts of key UK supply chains. Today we published our response to their recommendations by setting out a package of measures that we will take forward. One of the key measures announced is that the Government will proceed with a world-leading new ‘due diligence’ law to tackle illegal deforestation, and tabled an amendment to the Environment Bill yesterday. This new law will prohibit larger businesses from using forest risk commodities that were not produced in accordance with relevant local laws. These companies would need to undertake due diligence, and publish information about this exercise, to ensure this is the case. Businesses that do not comply with the new requirements would be subject to fines.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 11/11/2020 14:44:29 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1249191

registered interest
date	05/11/2020
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	Inland Waterways: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking under the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill to improve the health of (a) rivers and (b) other inland waters.
tabling member constituency	Wycombe
tabling member printed	Mr Steve Baker
uin	112040
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2020 answer text <p>The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill is a Private Members' Bill sponsored by my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Ludlow. The Government is very supportive of the intentions of the Bill. With regard to measures to improve the health of rivers and other inland waters, the Government remains committed to bringing at least three quarters of our waters to as close as possible to their natural state as soon as is practicable. In support of this, we will be bringing forward a further legally binding target as part of the targets setting processes set out in the Environment Bill.</p><p> </p><p>Sewage management by some water companies and diffuse pollution from agriculture are the two biggest sources of pollution affecting England's water environment. Through regulation, enforcement, financial incentives and educational schemes, we are improving poor farming practices which lead to water pollution. Our new Environmental Land Management scheme will be a critical part of that.</p><p> </p><p>With regard to sewage pollution, water companies are committed in the five-year business planning period (2020-2025) to a significant programme of improvements to the monitoring and management of storm overflows at a cost of around £1.2 billion. However, I recognise that there is more to do. I met water company CEOs in September and made clear that the volumes of sewage discharged into rivers and other waterways in extreme weather must be reduced. To achieve this, I have set up a new Taskforce bringing together the Government, the water industry, regulators and environmental NGOs. This Taskforce will set out clear proposals to address the volumes of sewage discharged into our rivers. The Taskforce is also exploring further short-term actions water companies can take to accelerate progress on storm overflows.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/11/2020 15:07:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker