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1188983

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
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	Food Supply: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to help ensure a continuing supply of food and essential supplies to vulnerable people in local communities.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	38540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has been working to support those who would otherwise struggle to get sufficient, healthy food due to COVID-19. Our analysis identified three key groups: 1) people who have money but are struggling to access food – principally because of the lockdown; 2) people who are struggling to afford food due to COVID-19; and 3) people who are both struggling to afford and access food.</p><p> </p><p>In partnership with industry, the Government started to deliver shielding packages in late March, to those that are clinically extremely vulnerable and have requested this support. These packages consist of essential supplies and food. Supermarkets are also prioritising online delivery slots for those that are most in need and have expanded their capacity for home deliveries.</p><p> </p><p>We have also been working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically extremely vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This includes those who are elderly, disabled or have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need. We have been working with retailers to ensure that these individuals are prioritised for supermarket delivery and click and collect slots, and we are helping connect those in need with local volunteers to deliver food from shops and with other food businesses offering food delivery.</p><p> </p><p>We have also been working closely with food banks and food aid charities, to help ensure that those who are financially vulnerable have access to essential supplies.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 01/05/2020 13:49:08 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1382212

registered interest
date	25/11/2021
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	Sewage: 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, with reference to the report by Surfers Against Sewage, 2021 Water Quality Report, published on 25 November 2021, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the findings in that report that there has been an increase of 87.6 per cent in sewage discharge notifications over the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	81926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2021 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answers provided on 1 December 2021 to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam, PQ <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fquestions-statements.parliament.uk%2Fwritten-questions%2Fdetail%2F2021-11-25%2F82122&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C102c5402e5684b4f615208d9b6519a9b%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637741283896569416%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=Ovbx%2BS%2Bwi7wjH8gDa0oIBCm4mYtbYSJfoan0NaX95C8%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">82122</a>, and to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, PQ <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fquestions-statements.parliament.uk%2Fwritten-questions%2Fdetail%2F2021-11-25%2F8206782067&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C102c5402e5684b4f615208d9b6519a9b%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C637741283896579405%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=e3qR7xvq3h8AxGWo1azbOaDg%2FuJz6FqMuXjuIwPQ5jM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">82067</a>.</p><p>The Government has made tackling sewage overflows a priority and we are the first Government to take concerted action to tackle this historic infrastructure issue.</p><p>Earlier this year the Government published a new draft set of strategic priorities for the water industry's financial regulator Ofwat. In this publication Government set out its expectation that water companies must take steps to &quot;<em>significantly reduce the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows.&quot; </em></p><p>The Environment Act then placed this direction on a statutory footing, setting a duty for water companies to achieve a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. Defra intends to set out the level of ambition expected by this in due course.</p><p>The Water Industry Act, as amended by the Environment Act, will include a duty on water companies to publish near real time information (within one hour) of the commencement of an overflow, its location and when it ceases, and to monitor the water quality upstream and downstream of a storm overflow or a sewage disposal works. These requirements will be part of the way we measure and evaluate the reduction in harm caused by storm overflows and the Government will bring forward implementing legislation in due course.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 06/12/2021 13:38:49 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1420267

registered interest
date	07/02/2022
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: National Security
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 strategic priorities for Ofwat, 2 February 2022, when the review of the Security and Emergency Measures Direction began; and what the timeframe is for its conclusion.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	119516
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2022 answer text <p>The Security and Emergency Measures review has looked at updating the measures water and sewerage companies are required to take in the interests of national security or to mitigate the effects of a civil emergency. The review commenced in October 2019 but was paused due to Covid pressures on organisational resources. It recommenced in November 2020 and is expected to conclude at the end of February 2022, with the issue of a new direction with updated measures.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/02/2022 09:58:21 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1420260

registered interest
date	07/02/2022
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 Companies: 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, with reference to the Government's strategic priorities for Ofwat, 2 February 2022, what steps the regulator will need to take to ensure water companies demonstrate how they will significantly reduce the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows, so overflows operate infrequently, and only in cases of unusually heavy rainfall.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	119509
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2022 answer text <p>Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, is legally required to act in accordance with the strategic policy statement (SPS). A draft SPS was laid in parliament 2nd February and is due to come into force following a period of 40 sitting days.</p><p>Government expects Ofwat to explain how it intends to achieve against the priorities set out in the SPS when making key decisions. For example, in its forthcoming price control review methodology.</p><p>Protecting and enhancing our nation's water environment is a priority for this government. It is government's expectation that Ofwat and the water industry will prioritise appropriate action to enhance water quality and deliver a resilient and sustainable water supply. In particular, the Government wants to see water and sewerage companies making progressive reductions in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows.</p><p>DWMPs will become statutory through the Environment Act 2021 when the first cycle ends and will help sewerage companies to fully assess wastewater network capacity and develop collaborative solutions.</p><p>In delivering against the priorities set out in the Strategic Policy Statement, water companies should significantly increase their use of nature and catchment-based solutions. We expect companies and regulators to work towards delivering these solutions as a matter of preference.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 119507 119508 119513 119514 119515 question first answered 16/02/2022 16:48:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1420259

registered interest
date	07/02/2022
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 Companies: 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, with reference to the Government's strategic priorities for Ofwat, 2 February 2022, what steps the regulator will need to take to ensure water companies demonstrate how they are working towards achieving zero serious pollution incidents by 2030.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	119508
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2022 answer text <p>Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, is legally required to act in accordance with the strategic policy statement (SPS). A draft SPS was laid in parliament 2nd February and is due to come into force following a period of 40 sitting days.</p><p>Government expects Ofwat to explain how it intends to achieve against the priorities set out in the SPS when making key decisions. For example, in its forthcoming price control review methodology.</p><p>Protecting and enhancing our nation's water environment is a priority for this government. It is government's expectation that Ofwat and the water industry will prioritise appropriate action to enhance water quality and deliver a resilient and sustainable water supply. In particular, the Government wants to see water and sewerage companies making progressive reductions in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows.</p><p>DWMPs will become statutory through the Environment Act 2021 when the first cycle ends and will help sewerage companies to fully assess wastewater network capacity and develop collaborative solutions.</p><p>In delivering against the priorities set out in the Strategic Policy Statement, water companies should significantly increase their use of nature and catchment-based solutions. We expect companies and regulators to work towards delivering these solutions as a matter of preference.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 119507 119509 119513 119514 119515 question first answered 16/02/2022 16:48:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1420258

registered interest
date	07/02/2022
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 Companies: 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, with reference to the Government's strategic priorities for Ofwat, 2 February 2022, what steps the regulator will need to take to ensure that water companies demonstrate they are improving environmental performance to meet the Environment Agency requirements in the Environmental Performance Assessment.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	119507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/02/2022 answer text <p>Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, is legally required to act in accordance with the strategic policy statement (SPS). A draft SPS was laid in parliament 2nd February and is due to come into force following a period of 40 sitting days.</p><p>Government expects Ofwat to explain how it intends to achieve against the priorities set out in the SPS when making key decisions. For example, in its forthcoming price control review methodology.</p><p>Protecting and enhancing our nation's water environment is a priority for this government. It is government's expectation that Ofwat and the water industry will prioritise appropriate action to enhance water quality and deliver a resilient and sustainable water supply. In particular, the Government wants to see water and sewerage companies making progressive reductions in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows.</p><p>DWMPs will become statutory through the Environment Act 2021 when the first cycle ends and will help sewerage companies to fully assess wastewater network capacity and develop collaborative solutions.</p><p>In delivering against the priorities set out in the Strategic Policy Statement, water companies should significantly increase their use of nature and catchment-based solutions. We expect companies and regulators to work towards delivering these solutions as a matter of preference.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 119508 119509 119513 119514 119515 question first answered 16/02/2022 16:48:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1339380

registered interest
date	23/06/2021
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	Reservoirs: Brent
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 Answer of 1 March 2021 to Question 155002 on Reservoirs: Brent, on what dates the Priestley Way trash screen that sits on the River Brent and enters the Welsh Harp was cleared by the Environment Agency in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	21192
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2021 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) visits and checks the Priestley Way trash screen on a weekly basis to ensure blockages are not increasing flood risk to properties and infrastructure upstream. The EA clears the screen when it deems the accumulation of debris to present an increase in flood risk. The EA does not hold data on specific clearance dates.</p><p> </p><p>The EA acknowledges that the accumulation of debris on site is unsightly however the screen has an important role in preventing debris from entering the larger protected Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) area.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 02/07/2021 10:52:33 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1656224

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
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	Livestock: Animal Housing
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 Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in May 2021, when her Department plans to publish the consultation on the cage keeping of farm animals.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	196212
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2023 answer text <p>We have delivered an ambitious legislative programme since the publication of the Action Plan, which will deliver significant improvements for animals in the UK and abroad. We are firmly committed to maintaining our strong track record on animal welfare and to delivering continued improvements, both in the course of this Parliament and beyond. We do not, however, consider the time is right to consult on cage reforms, being mindful of the challenges the laying hen and pig sectors are facing. The market is already driving the move away from using cages for laying hen production. The proportion of eggs that come from caged hens has steadily decreased from 47% of total throughput in Q4 2017, to 21% in Q1 2023. The UK is ahead of most other pig producing countries in terms of zero confinement farrowing, in that 40% of the national sow breeding herd farrow freely on outdoor pig units with no option of confinement.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to work with the sectors to maintain and enhance our high standards. The Government’s animal welfare priorities for its Animal Health and Welfare Pathway include supporting producers to transition away from confinement systems.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 18/09/2023 10:19:12 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1202286

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
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	Environment Protection: 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, with reference to Clause 1 of the Environment Bill, what steps his Department is taking to develop (a) long term resource efficiency and (b) waste reduction targets.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	57963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government plans to bring forward at least one target in the area of resource efficiency and waste reduction by the Environment Bill's 31 October 2022 deadline.</p><p>We want a robust, evidence-led process for setting targets which includes seeking independent expert advice, a role for stakeholders and the public, as well as scrutiny from Parliament. The process for setting targets will broadly include: setting the scope of the targets; developing fully evidenced targets; public consultation on target proposals and drafting target legislation. We will be engaging stakeholders, including on resource efficiency and waste, during our stepped approached to target setting.</p><p>The target setting steps will broadly include: setting the scope of the targets; developing fully-evidenced targets; public consultation on target proposals and finally drafting target legislation. We expect to publish a Target Policy Paper over the coming months which will include further details and timing about these steps.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 57964 question first answered 17/06/2020 11:10:49 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1202287

registered interest
date	10/06/2020
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	Environment Protection: 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, with reference to Clause 1 of the Environment Bill, what plans he has to involve stakeholders in the development of (a) resource efficiency and (b) waste reduction targets.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	57964
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government plans to bring forward at least one target in the area of resource efficiency and waste reduction by the Environment Bill's 31 October 2022 deadline.</p><p>We want a robust, evidence-led process for setting targets which includes seeking independent expert advice, a role for stakeholders and the public, as well as scrutiny from Parliament. The process for setting targets will broadly include: setting the scope of the targets; developing fully evidenced targets; public consultation on target proposals and drafting target legislation. We will be engaging stakeholders, including on resource efficiency and waste, during our stepped approached to target setting.</p><p>The target setting steps will broadly include: setting the scope of the targets; developing fully-evidenced targets; public consultation on target proposals and finally drafting target legislation. We expect to publish a Target Policy Paper over the coming months which will include further details and timing about these steps.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 57963 question first answered 17/06/2020 11:10:49 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord