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1306949

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2021
	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	Litter
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government's Roadmap out of lockdown, whether reaching the end of step one of that roadmap on 29 March 2021 means that voluntary litter-picks can take place where social distancing is observed.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	178624
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government continues to use its influence to support national clear-up days, which help to empower and engage communities in tackling litter and to change attitudes towards littering.</p><p> </p><p>I recently spoke at the launch of Keep Britain Tidy’s 2021 Great British Spring Clean, encouraging as many people and businesses as possible to participate in the Great British Spring Clean, and committed to volunteer during the event. By doing so, we are setting the tone for the summer ahead, by showing that litter is not acceptable, and that people care deeply about protecting their local environment.</p><p> </p><p>We have published specific advice on our gov.uk website which states that voluntary litter picking can be carried out, and that groups must follow government guidance on staying safe outside the home. This can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste#litter-picking-during-coronavirus" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste#litter-picking-during-coronavirus</a></p><p> </p><p>Volunteers are always advised to use safety equipment, including thick gloves, litter-pickers and heavy-duty bags.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 178620 question first answered 15/04/2021 16:19:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1287997

	registered interest
	date	22/02/2021
	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	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, with reference to his Department's 2018 publication Our Waste, Our Resources: A strategy for England, when he plans to implement the proposals mandating a consistent approach between local authorities in England on kerbside collection of waste for recycling.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	156287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>We consulted on recycling consistency reforms in 2019 and following support for these measures, the Environment Bill states that waste collection authorities in England must arrange for the collection of a core set of materials (glass; metal; plastic; paper and card; food waste; and garden waste) from households for recycling.</p><p> </p><p>We will be seeking further views in an upcoming second consultation on recycling consistency, which will be published in spring 2021 and will include detail on transition timelines for local authorities. We want to implement recycling consistency as soon as is practically possible, taking into account factors including lead-in times for local authorities to procure vehicles and other capital goods and any existing contractual arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 25/02/2021 12:59:16 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1188557

	registered interest
	date	20/04/2020
	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	Roads: Environment
	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 the term Other structures used in clause 41(c) of the Environment Bill 2020 includes roads.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	37511
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>Clause 41(c) excludes ‘Buildings and other structures’ from the definition of the ‘natural environment’ in the Bill. However, individual types of buildings and structures are not specified on the face of the Bill. It will be for the Secretary of State and the Office for Environmental Protection to interpret this definition for the purposes of implementing Chapters 1 and 2 of the Bill respectively, based on the details of the specific issue before them and the clause which they are implementing through any particular decision. If a dispute arises about the interpretation of these provisions, the courts may ultimately provide a judgment on the matter.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 27/04/2020 12:46:16 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1187081

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2020
	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	Litter: 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, whether the targets to be set under the Environment Bill will include a target on litter.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	33448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2020 answer text <p>The Government will be required to set at least one target for each of the four priority areas: air quality; biodiversity; water; and waste reduction and resource efficiency. The power to set targets will not be limited to these four priority areas. Long-term targets could be set in respect of any matter which relates to the natural environment, or people’s enjoyment of it, in order to drive significant improvement of the environment.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 21/04/2020 15:58:47 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1187082

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2020
	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	Litter
	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 the remit of the proposed Office of Environmental Protection will include holding public bodies to account on compliance with duties to collect litter.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	33449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2020 answer text <p>The Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) will be established with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and the improvement of the natural environment. The OEP will have powers that will enable it to hold all public authorities to account for their implementation of any legislative provisions that fall under the definition of environmental law as set out in the Environment Bill. In this context, the OEP’s remit is not defined by reference to specific subjects such as litter, but rather by reference to the question of whether legislation is mainly concerned with environmental protection. The OEP will also need to consider the seriousness of any alleged breach, and whether there are more appropriate avenues to resolve the matter, in determining where and how to act in relation to any specific case.</p><p> </p><p>Legal duties in relation to litter, or indeed any other subject, would therefore need to be considered against the definition of environmental law in the Environment Bill in order to determine whether the OEP has powers to act. This will be for the OEP to assess in the first instance.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 21/04/2020 15:57:04 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1198620

	registered interest
	date	01/06/2020
	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	Marine Environment: 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, whether the UK Marine Strategy produced under the UK Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 is expected to achieve its 2020 targets on good environmental status on marine habitats and species as referred to on page 32 of the 2018 White Paper on Sustainable Fisheries for Future Generations.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	51701
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2020 answer text <p>The updated UK Marine Strategy Part One, published in October 2019, provides an assessment of the state of UK seas and shows the progress made towards achieving Good Environmental Status (GES).</p><p> </p><p>The assessment showed that we have made progress towards GES for UK seas and that some marine species, including grey seals, have achieved GES in UK seas. However, the assessment identified other areas, including some bird species and seabed habitats, where more needs to be done.</p><p> </p><p>We are taking action to address those areas where we have not yet reached GES, and intend to publish an update to the UK Marine Strategy Part Three, outlining the programmes of measures that will continue to move us towards GES, in 2021.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/06/2020 09:34:58 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1564573

	registered interest
	date	06/01/2023
	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	Sewage: Inland Waterways
	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 has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on taking steps to prevent developers from misconnecting pipes in new homes and causing the leakage of sewage into waterways.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	117506
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2023 answer text <p>Government is working with the Environment Agency and other regulators to hold the water industry to account. Ministers meet with Environment Agency to discuss a range of issues including sewage pollution on a regular basis.</p><p>In August 2022 the most ambitious plan to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows in water company history was launched. There should be no doubt about the Government’s ambition and determination to prioritise storm overflows and sewage discharges.</p><p>The review for making sustainable drainage systems mandatory in new developments was published on 10 January 2023. Government will now look at how best to implement it, through Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. This will make the right to connect surface water to public sewers conditional on the drainage system being approved.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 18/01/2023 10:15:48 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1329414

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2021
	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	Gardens: Biodiversity
	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 his Department has carried out an assessment of the effect of artificial lawns on species loss and biodiversity.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	10218
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2021 answer text <p>Surfaces such as artificial grass are, on their own, of no value for biodiversity.</p><p> </p><p>We currently have no plans to ban or restrict the use of artificial grass. We prefer to help people and organisations make the right choice rather than legislating on this matter. As with all single-use plastic products, we will continue to review the latest evidence on impacts and take a systematic approach to reducing unnecessary use.</p><p> </p><p>Research has shown that gardens and public spaces can be very important habitats, for example for pollinating insects. Working with a range of partners, Defra has established a ‘Bees’ Needs’ campaign including advice on providing habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, including in gardens.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities should comply with the legal and policy safeguards in place to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable drainage. The strengthened biodiversity duty being introduced through the Environment Bill should also serve to encourage public authorities to consider more sustainable alternatives.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 10219 question first answered 09/06/2021 16:55:15 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1307068

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2021
	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	Fly-tipping and Litter
	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 he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing auditable tracking for products and packaging to assist with the enforcement of rules on litter and flytipping.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	178902
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2021 answer text <p>The Litter Strategy sets out how we intend to work with the relevant industries to tackle certain types of problematic litter, such as fast food packaging, and our Resources and Waste Strategy set our strategic approach to prevent, detect and deter waste crime, including fly-tipping.</p><p> </p><p>The Resources and Waste Strategy commits us to introducing mandatory electronic waste tracking, subject to consultation. This will help to ensure that waste is dealt with appropriately and will reduce the incidence of waste crime and fly-tipping.</p><p> </p><p>No formal assessment has been made of the potential merits of introducing auditable tracking for packaging. However, exploratory discussions suggest that the burden on businesses and enforcement bodies, along with data protection issues, would mean the costs could outweigh the benefits of such a policy.</p><p> </p><p>We are exploring other measures to tackle littered packaging. Our recently published consultation on extended producer responsibility for packaging proposes that producers who make or handle consumer-facing packaging should fund the full net-costs associated with the packaging they place on the market once it becomes waste, including litter-related costs. We have also recently launched our consultation on the deposit return scheme, which will incentivise proper disposal of in-scope material by consumers. We will continue to engage with producers as these measures come forward.</p><p> </p><p>In recent years, to support local authorities in their enforcement, Defra has bolstered local authorities’ powers to tackle fly-tipping, such as by introducing the power to issue fixed penalty notices (including to householders who pass their waste to an unlicensed waste carrier) and to stop and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. We have also introduced new powers to allow penalties to be issued to the keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown (recognising that it is often difficult to identify the individual who threw the litter), and published guidance on the use of enforcement powers for littering and related offences.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/04/2021 16:14:59 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers

1383707

	registered interest
	date	01/12/2021
	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	Compost: Peat
	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 he plans to publish his consultation on banning the use of peat in amateur horticulture.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	85203
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2021 answer text <p>We intend to publish this consultation in December 2021.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 06/12/2021 14:39:25 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers