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1109222

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	Squirrels: Conservation
	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 prevent the potential extinction of red squirrels in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Copeland
	tabling member printed	Trudy Harrison
	uin	240064
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>This is devolved matter and the below information relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations and tackling the threats that grey squirrels pose to them. The Forestry Commission works with Natural England and other conservation organisations and projects to help protect red squirrel enclaves and to allow the populations to expand.</p><p> </p><p>The Forestry Commission also undertakes a number of actions to protect red squirrels from the impact of grey squirrels as outlined in the grey squirrel action plan for England. These actions include Countryside Stewardship funding for landowners who choose to help protect red squirrels within designated reserves.</p><p> </p><p>Defra, in partnership with the United Kingdom Squirrel Accord, has also provided funding for work by the Animal and Plant Health Agency for the development of a fertility control method for grey squirrels. This research continues to show promise as one potentially effective and humane method to control grey squirrel numbers in the longer term.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 10/04/2019 12:40:31 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison

1109135

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	River Itchen: Atrazine
	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 his Department holds on the incidence of atrazine in the River Itchen near the Alresford Salads factory.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	239835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) monitors groundwater boreholes in the surrounding area of the Alre catchment (where Alresford Salads factory is located), and in the principal River Itchen, for atrazine and its breakdown products. The EA therefore holds monitoring data on atrazine and its concentrations for the River Itchen and groundwater in the Alre catchment, including self-monitoring data provided by Alresford Salads. The data confirms that riverine concentrations of atrazine within the Itchen are consistent with atrazine concentrations detected in groundwater. The data shows a reduction in atrazine concentrations over time, and consistently below the Environmental Quality Standard, Drinking Water Standard and Predicted No Effect Concentration.</p><p> </p><p>Atrazine is a herbicide that no longer has EU approval for use. Its use was restricted in 2006 and completely withdrawn in 2007 in the UK.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/04/2019 12:42:10 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1109137

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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 Abstraction
	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 next he plans to review the abstraction regime.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	239836
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government will review its abstraction plan in 2021.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/04/2019 13:23:02 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1109246

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	Waste Disposal
	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 improve England’s waste disposal system; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Solihull
	tabling member printed	Julian Knight
	uin	240016
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>Our overarching ambition is to manage residual waste in a way that maximises its value as a resource whilst minimising its environmental impact. We are committed to eliminating avoidable waste by 2050.</p><p> </p><p>In December 2018, we published our Resources and Waste Strategy which explains how we will overhaul current waste management systems. Building on the commitments in the Strategy, we have published three consultations:</p><p> </p><p>- On making producers pay the full cost of dealing with packaging waste (<a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/environmental-quality/consultation-on-reforming-the-uk-packaging-produce/" target="_blank">Reforming the Packaging Producer Responsibility System</a>)</p><p>- On a consistent set of materials to be collected across England from households and businesses for recycling (<a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/environmental-quality/consultation-on-consistency-in-household-and-busin/" target="_blank">Consultation on consistency in household and business recycling collections in England</a>)</p><p>- On bringing in a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks cans and bottles (<a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/environment/introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme/" target="_blank">Consultation on Introducing a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland</a>).</p><p> </p><p>These consultations are open until 13 May.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 09/04/2019 14:17:38 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1109248

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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 steps he is taking to reduce food waste; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Solihull
	tabling member printed	Julian Knight
	uin	240018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK is an international leader in tackling food waste, and there has been a reduction in total food waste of 14% per person in the UK between 2007 and 2015 (post farm-gate), but there is more to be done. The Government recently launched its Resources and Waste Strategy which sets out a new approach to address food waste from farm to fork.</p><p> </p><p>Last autumn, the Secretary of State announced a new pilot scheme to reduce food waste, supported by a £15 million fund. The first £5 million round of funding is currently being allocated to food redistribution organisations. The Government has appointed Ben Elliot as the food waste champion who will work with business leaders to ensure that the issue of food waste and surplus remains at the top of their agendas.</p><p> </p><p>The strategy also sets out how the Government will consult on annual reporting of food surplus and waste by food businesses and support cross sector collaboration through the Courtauld 2025 agreement.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 09/04/2019 14:15:26 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4410 label Biography information for Julian Knight

1109028

	registered interest
	date	02/04/2019
	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	Convention on Biological Diversity
	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 plans his Department has to ensure the UK meets its targets under the Global Convention on Biological Diversity; and what assessment his has Department has made of the UK's progress towards meeting those targets.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	240045
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on progress with current targets and commitments was published in March. It can be viewed at: <a href="http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-7731" target="_blank">http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-7731</a></p><p> </p><p>Of the 19 targets assessed, 5 were on track and 14 showed progress though at an insufficient rate. The targets are multi-faceted and global in scope. As such not all targets can be achieved by individual countries alone; they require collective action. Target 10, for example, requires countries to minimize anthropogenic pressures on coral reefs and other vulnerable ecosystems. The UK is making progress with protecting coral reefs and restoring other vulnerable ecosystems such as peatland, but they remain vulnerable to climate change. The real value of the targets is in driving positive change across the world and the report sets out clear areas of progress in the UK on which we are determined to build.</p><p> </p><p>Domestic biodiversity policy is a devolved matter and the information provided relates to England only, except in relation to our plans internationally.</p><p> </p><p>On land, over 93% of our protected sites, covering over 1 million hectares, are now in good condition or have management in place to restore their condition. Over the last 2 years, we have already introduced funding for peatland ecosystem restoration and woodland expansion as a contribution to climate change mitigation. At sea, we are putting management measures in place to protect existing MPAs and expanding our network of sites. We have consulted on a third tranche of 41 Marine Conservation Zones. Sites to be designated will be in place by 7 June. Our agencies and non-Departmental bodies are working on species recovery projects with landowning and conservation partners, for example on freshwater pearl mussel, short-haired bumblebee and stone curlew.</p><p> </p><p>The ongoing declines in nature are a global problem that need a global solution. That is why the UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing a global post-2020 framework under the CBD that is ambitious and transformational. Our Darwin Initiative supports global action by providing grants to protect biodiversity and the natural environment, with £10.6 million awarded in 2018. The UK Government has committed to protecting the ocean, and has called for at least 30 per cent of the ocean to be in MPAs by 2030.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong><br> </strong></p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/04/2019 15:00:41 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes