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536438

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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	Lighting
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 her Department is taking to encourage local authorities to tackle light pollution and help protect dark skies in their areas.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	42831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The Government is taking a number of steps to encourage local authorities to address light pollution.</p><p> </p><p>The National Planning Policy Framework includes consideration of the impact of light pollution on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and nature conservation. The Department for Communities and Local Government has also published additional guidance setting out when light pollution is relevant to planning, which the Government asks all local authorities to have regard to when considering planning decisions: <a href="http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/light-pollution/" target="_blank">http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/light-pollution/</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Other Government action includes encouragement for local authorities to introduce LED street lighting where it is economically feasible to do so, in order to reduce glare. Defra has also supported applications from National Parks, such as Exmoor and South Downs, to become International Dark Sky Parks or Reserves.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 11:08:39 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

536452

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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	Lighting: 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, whether she plans to include measures to protect and improve England's dark skies in the Government's 25-year plan for the natural environment.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	42828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to developing a long term, 25-year plan for the environment. Following the decision to leave the EU, we now have a fresh opportunity to shape a long-term vision for the type of environment we want in this country. As part of this we will be looking across the breadth of environmental challenges.</p><p>Developing our approach to the environment will need to be informed by significant input from interested parties across many sectors. Further information on the next steps and timings will be provided in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 16:49:53 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

536453

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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	Environment Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the Government's 25-year plan for the natural environment.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Oliver Colvile
uin	42844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government remains committed to developing a long term, 25-year plan for the environment. Following the decision to leave the EU, we now have a fresh opportunity to shape a long-term vision for the type of environment we want in this country.</p><p> </p><p>Developing our approach to the environment will need to be informed by significant input from interested parties across many sectors. Further information on the next steps and timings will be provided in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 11:22:14 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4022 label Biography information for Oliver Colvile

536454

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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	Ash Dieback Disease
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 funding her Department is making available to replace trees that die of ash dieback disease.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Oliver Colvile
uin	42845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2016 answer text <p>The Forestry Commission provides advice to woodland managers about how best to manage and adapt to ash dieback, for example by planting a variety of tree species as diversity brings resilience to pests and diseases.</p><p> </p><p>Support is available for some landowners for the replacement of infected ash trees with alternative species in woodland situations under the Countryside Stewardship scheme, subject to grant conditions being met.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is not encouraging felling of large infected ash trees as they can survive dieback for many years. They continue to provide recreational and biodiversity benefits as well as a vital role in protecting our environment through use in flood control measures.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 21/07/2016 15:00:56 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4022 label Biography information for Oliver Colvile

536455

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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
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 her Department is taking in response to the findings of the World Health Organisation's report, entitled WHO Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database 2016, on levels of safe air quality being exceeded at (a) Port Talbot, (b) Stanford-le-Hope, (c) Glasgow, (d) London, (e) Scunthorpe, (f) Leeds, (g) Eastbourne, (h) Nottingham, (i) Southampton and (j) Oxford.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	42860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) 2016 update of its Urban Ambient Air Pollution database found 10 areas in the UK fail to meet WHO standards on particulate matter (PM): Port Talbot, Stanford-le-Hope, Glasgow, London, Scunthorpe, Leeds, Eastbourne, Nottingham, Southampton and Oxford.</p><p> </p><p>Latest compliance data show that the UK is meeting the EU daily and annual mean limits for PM concentrations. We continue to monitor compliance with PM limits and work in partnership with local authorities in these areas and across the UK to explore options to reduce PM concentrations further.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities have a crucial role to play in improving air quality in their areas. Under the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) system, local authorities are required to review and assess air quality in their areas and to designate Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and put in place Air Quality Action Plans (AQAP) to address air pollution issues where national air quality objectives are not being met. The LAQM system encourages local authorities to focus on local hotspots and to deploy resources and actions quickly to achieve cleaner air in their area.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently 25 AQMAs declared in the Greater London area for PM exceedances. Both Glasgow and Scunthorpe have one AQMA each declared for PM exceedances. All these AQMAs were declared before 2011 and all are still in place, with relevant AQAPs to address the issue. There are currently no PM related AQMAs in Port Talbot, Stanford-le-Hope, Leeds, Eastbourne, Nottingham, Southampton and Oxford.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have the best natural environment anywhere. Clean air is an essential part of that ambition. In December last year, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones in five cities in England, including Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton, as well as Birmingham and Derby along with the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in London. The plan combines targeted local and national measures and continued investment in clean technologies. These measures will also reduce PM concentrations.</p><p> </p><p>The Mayor of London is responsible for air quality standards in London. The Mayor provides the framework and guidance which London boroughs use to review and improve air quality within their areas. The new Mayor recently set out his plans to improve air quality in London, and on 5 July launched a formal policy consultation on a package of measures to tackle air pollution in London.</p><p> </p><p>In the UK, air quality is devolved and Defra works in close partnership with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure the UK remains compliant with EU air quality standards.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 16:34:21 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

536456

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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	Food: Waste
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 assessment she has made of the potential (a) merits and (b) effectiveness of introducing voluntary targets to reduce food waste in (i) households, (ii) businesses and (iii) public bodies.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	42857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>Targets within our voluntary agreements with businesses such as the Courtauld Commitment with the grocery sector have been very effective in helping businesses and households to reduce food waste, make associated financial savings and deliver carbon savings and other environmental benefits. Local authorities have also benefited through reduced household waste disposal costs.</p><p> </p><p>Household food waste has reduced by 15% between 2007 and 2012 despite an increase of 4% in the number of households in the UK. This reduction alone has avoided 18Mt of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Supply chain food and packaging waste reduced by 7.4% between 2009 and 2012, with interim results for Courtauld 3 showing a further 3.2% reduction in food waste by 2014.</p><p> </p><p>We want to do more to build on the success of the voluntary approach. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) therefore launched Courtauld 2025 on 15 March this year. This is a commitment by stakeholders across the UK food and drink system – including hospitality and food service businesses, retailers, food manufacturers and local authorities - and includes a voluntary target of a 20% reduction in food and drink waste arising in the UK. According to WRAP’s analysis, reaching this level of reduction would deliver an estimated £20bn savings to the UK economy, including £4bn savings to businesses (with the majority of savings benefitting householders).</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 11:11:01 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

536458

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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
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 information her Department holds on how many times air quality safety levels were breached in (a) Port Talbot, (b) Stanford-le-Hope, (c) Glasgow, (d) London, (e) Scunthorpe, (f) Leeds, (g) Eastbourne, (h) Nottingham, (i) Southampton and (j) Oxford since 2011.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	42859
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>Defra uses both monitoring and modelling to assess air quality in the UK. Currently, 148 monitoring stations in the Automatic Urban Rural Network report near-real-time data on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM<sub>10</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub>), sulphur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) and nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>). Information about these sites and modelled data is available on Defra’s UK-Air website.</p><p> </p><p>For the purposes of EU compliance reporting, the UK is divided into 43 zones. The relevant zone for each area is shown in the table below. Details for compliance in each year since 2011 can be found at: <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport/index" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport/index</a>. Compliance reports for last year will be published in October.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have the best natural environment anywhere. Clean air is an essential part of that ambition. In December last year, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones in five cities in England, including Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton, as well as Birmingham and Derby, along with the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in London. The plan combines targeted local and national measures and continued investment in clean technologies. These measures will also reduce PM concentrations.</p><p> </p><p>All 10 areas exceeded the annual mean limit value for NO<sub>2</sub> in a number of years since 2011, and some areas also exceeded the hourly limit value. The latest available data for the 10 areas is shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Location</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Zone </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Year NO</strong><strong><sub>2</sub></strong><strong> hourly limit value exceeded</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Year NO</strong><strong><sub>2</sub></strong><strong> annual mean value exceeded</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Port Talbot</strong></p></td><td><p>Swansea Urban Area</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (2011 – 2014, modelled roadside exceedances in Port Talbot)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Port Talbot</strong></p></td><td><p>South Wales</p></td><td><p>2014,2015,2016</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Stanford-le-Hope</strong></p></td><td><p>Eastern</p></td><td><p>2016 (Luton)</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Glasgow</strong></p></td><td><p>Glasgow Urban Area</p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>London</strong></p></td><td><p>Greater London Urban Area</p></td><td><p>2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Scunthorpe</strong></p></td><td><p>Yorkshire &amp; Humberside</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (2011 background exceedance in Scunthorpe)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Leeds</strong></p></td><td><p>West Yorkshire Urban Area</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (2011 – 2014, modelled roadside exceedances in Leeds)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Eastbourne</strong></p></td><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>2011,2012</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Nottingham</strong></p></td><td><p>Nottingham Urban Area</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Southampton</strong></p></td><td><p>Southampton Urban Area</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Oxford </strong></p></td><td><p>South East</p></td><td><p>2011,2012</p></td><td><p>2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 (2011 – 2014, modelled roadside exceedances in Oxford)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>Latest compliance data shows that the UK is meeting the EU daily and annual mean limits for PM concentrations. There were exceedances of the daily mean limit value for PM<sub>10</sub> in 2011 and 2012 in London.</p><p> </p><p>There were exceedances in the annual mean limit value for Benzo [a] Pyrene (B[a]P) in all years between 2011 and 2014 in Port Talbot and 2011 to 2015 in Scunthorpe. There are action plans in place for B[a]P in all affected areas. Details can be found at: <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/bap-nickel-measures" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/bap-nickel-measures</a>.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 11:16:59 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

536461

registered interest
date	14/07/2016
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: Ribble Valley
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 her Department's projections are for levels of air pollution in the Ribble Valley over the next five years.
tabling member constituency	Ribble Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Evans
uin	42875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2016 answer text <p>The latest projections for Ribble Valley Borough Council were undertaken as part of the analysis carried out during the development of the Air Quality Plans (published in December last year). For the purposes of air quality assessment, the UK is divided into 43 zones. The Ribble Valley is within the North West &amp; Merseyside zone and the plan for the North West &amp; Merseyside zone can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486209/aq-plan-2015-north-west-and-merseyside-uk0033.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486209/aq-plan-2015-north-west-and-merseyside-uk0033.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The latest projections for nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) and particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub>) for the Ribble Valley are shown below. These projections used a base year of 2013. It shows the maximum modelled concentration in the 2013 base year is predicted to decrease by 2020 for all three pollutants. These maximum concentrations are well below the relevant annual mean limit values for all three pollutants.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2013 Base Year NO2</p></td><td><p>2020 Projection NO2</p></td><td><p>2013Base year PM10</p></td><td><p>2020 Projection PM10</p></td><td><p>2013 Base Year PM2.5</p></td><td><p>2020 Projection PM2.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Overall max concentration (ugm-3)</p></td><td><p>23</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The projections for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are available here: <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/no2ten/2015-no2-projections-from-2013-data" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/no2ten/2015-no2-projections-from-2013-data</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/07/2016 11:20:42 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	474 label Biography information for Mr Nigel Evans

536139

registered interest
date	13/07/2016
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 Poverty
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 she is taking to support households which are in water poverty.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	42633
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2016 answer text <p>Water companies already offer a wide range of support to around 760,000 customers that struggle to pay their water bills. By 2020, they have committed to help an additional one million customers. The support they offer includes the nationally mandated WaterSure Scheme, voluntary social tariffs, charitable trusts, debt advice, payment plans and water efficiency advice.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting a water industry built around transparency, resilience and affordability. We will continue to work with the Consumer Council for Water, Ofwat and the industry to ensure they continue to provide a fair deal for all customers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 18/07/2016 10:57:42 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

536268

registered interest
date	13/07/2016
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	Ash Dieback Disease
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 13 July 2016 to Question 42035, how many projects her Department jointly funded to look into the ecological value of ash dieback; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	42704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2016 answer text <p>Defra funded a number of research projects in response to ash dieback, including two research projects to assess the ecological impacts of the disease on woodlands and other species. These have now been published and are available on the Defra science website:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&amp;Module=More&amp;Location=None&amp;ProjectID=18994&amp;FromSearch=Y&amp;Publisher=1&amp;SearchText=ash%20dieback&amp;SortString=ProjectCode&amp;SortOrder=Asc&amp;Paging=10%23Description%20" target="_blank">http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&amp;Module=More&amp;Location=None&amp;ProjectID=18994&amp;FromSearch=Y&amp;Publisher=1&amp;SearchText=ash%20dieback&amp;SortString=ProjectCode&amp;SortOrder=Asc&amp;Paging=10#Description</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&amp;Module=More&amp;Location=None&amp;Completed=0&amp;ProjectID=19187" target="_blank">http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&amp;Module=More&amp;Location=None&amp;Completed=0&amp;ProjectID=19187</a></p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 20/07/2016 14:34:50 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham