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1650566

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
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	Southern Water: 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, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience of 28 June 2023, Official Report, column 282, and to the Consultation on change of ownership for Southern Water Services Limited, published by Ofwat in August 2022, what steps Ofwat is taking to work with Southern Water on its financial resilience; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	192752
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2023 answer text <p>Ofwat monitors and assesses the financial resilience of each company on an individual and ongoing basis and challenges companies where they identify the need. Each year, in its Monitoring Financial Resilience Report, Ofwat sets out its key messages and observations on financial resilience across the sector.</p><p> </p><p>Ofwat has used intervention and regulatory guidance to encourage Southern Water to improve financial resilience and outcomes for customers and the environment.</p><p>In 2021, Southern Water’s investors injected around £530 million to improve operational performance and support its financial position. Southern Water was also required to prepare a turnaround plan, which sets out how it will improve its overall performance. Progress against the delivery of its plan is being closely monitored by Ofwat.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Act 2021 gave Ofwat improved powers to modify water company licenses without consent from water companies. This has enabled Ofwat to strengthen its existing ring-fence framework and to intervene at an earlier stage where companies are experiencing financial resilience challenges. This allows greater engagement between Ofwat and water companies so that they can seek timely improvements and/or mitigating actions, to better protect water customers.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 13/07/2023 16:16:23 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1626495

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Water Companies: Investment Income
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of shareholder dividends as a proportion of customer water bills for each water company in each of the past five years.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	184347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State does not intend to make an estimate of shareholder dividends as a proportion of customer water bills. This would not be an accurate method to compare dividends between water companies. All water companies publish their water charges as well as their dividends payments on their websites, and therefore the information requested is already publicly available.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/05/2023 11:31:28 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1626137

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
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	Animal Sentience Committee
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 the Government has taken on (a) establishing and (b) maintaining the Animal Sentience Committee since the assent of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	184043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>Work is underway to prepare for the forthcoming launch of the new Animal Sentience Committee. Michael Seals CBE was appointed on 2nd September 2022 as the first-ever Chair of the Committee and the Member appointments will be announced in due course. We will also bring the provisions of the Animal Sentience Act into effect, in order to formally establish the Animal Sentience Committee.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 17/05/2023 12:33:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1625141

registered interest
date	02/05/2023
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	Water Companies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the transparency of the (a) finances and (b) corporate structures of water companies.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	183396
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>There is a high level of transparency in both areas. All water companies publish their annual reports on their websites. The publicly available reports include financial and governance information.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to annual reports, all water companies publish an annual performance report (APR). The APRs are accessible to all stakeholders and set out how companies are delivering for their customers, environment and wider society.</p><p> </p><p>Ofwat, the economic regulator, also assesses the financial resilience of water companies and publishes an annual Monitoring Financial Resilience Report, which sets out observations and actions to further improve the financial resilience of the sector. Ofwat’s report can be found here - <a href="https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/MFR_2021-22.pdf" target="_blank">MFR_2021-22.pdf (ofwat.gov.uk)</a></p><p> </p><p>The water companies provide an essential public service to their communities, and so our Strategic Policy Statement sets out that we expect Ofwat to encourage and incentivise water companies to foster better corporate responsibility.</p><p> </p><p>Building on Ofwat’s existing principles for board leadership, transparency and governance, it announced on 20 March 2023 new changes to company licences that will improve the performance and financial health of water companies and provide greater transparency with customers and stakeholders.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/05/2023 15:28:55 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1625146

registered interest
date	02/05/2023
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	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, when her Department plans to introduce a new (a) household and (b) business waste collections policy; and whether funding will be made available to local authorities to support the delivery of that policy.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	183397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>In 2021 we published a second consultation on recycling consistency for households and businesses in England. This consultation sought views on increasing consistency in recycling, including on the materials in scope of collection, proposals for commencement dates for regulations, exemptions and statutory guidance. We are aiming to publish our response shortly.</p><p><br> Any new financial burdens introduced through new statutory duties on local authorities will be assessed and the reasonable net additional cost covered by the Government. Local authorities are already permitted to charge for business waste collections.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/05/2023 15:46:38 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1624751

registered interest
date	28/04/2023
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	Agriculture: 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, what steps her Department is taking to reduce agricultural pollution as a means for improving the ecological status of rivers in England.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	183240
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>We have set a new ambitious, legally binding target under the Environment Act 2021 to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038. Through the Environmental Improvement Plan, we have also committed to review our farming regulations to ensure they are fit for purpose for our environmental and farming ambitions. Additionally, we have recently published our Plan for Water which will transform our management of the water system, deliver cleaner water for nature and people, and secure a plentiful water supply.</p><p> </p><p>There are several regulations in place in England to prevent water pollution in agriculture, including the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/151/made" target="_blank">Farming Rules for Water </a>regulations that require land managers to take reasonable precautions to reduce and prevent diffuse pollution from agriculture.   We are working to increase regulatory compliance by boosting funding to the Environment Agency to deliver 4,000 inspections per year- targeting protected nature sites in an unfavourable condition.</p><p> </p><p>We are also tackling agricultural pollution through advice and incentives that include:</p><ul><li>expansion of the successful Catchment Sensitive Farming programme providing 1-2-1 farmer advice and guidance by doubling the funding to £15 million p.a. to cover all farmland in England.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>launch of the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure grant, providing funding of £34 million for farmers to upgrade their slurry store facilities; a critical step to allow livestock farmers to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>supporting sustainable farming practices to improve water quality and create new habitats through the three Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.</li></ul><p>o delivering six new Sustainable Farming Incentive standards this year with actions to improve the water environment by reducing runoff and erosion, maintaining soil cover and creating buffer strips and margins.</p><p>o Countryside Stewardship will pay for more targeted actions in specific locations, features, and habitats to provide natural flood management, protecting the water environment.</p><p>o Landscape Recovery will pay for longer-term, larger-scale projects to improve the natural environment. The first round of projects will restore 400 miles of rivers and streams.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/05/2023 17:34:26 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1610584

registered interest
date	14/04/2023
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	Air Pollution: 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, if she will make an assessment of (a) whether the consultation period for the revised national air quality strategy meets the criteria set out in the Government's consultation principles, and (b) the adequacy of the ten days allowed for responses to allow stakeholders to fully engage with those proposals; for what reason she has specified this consultation period; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	180717
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2023 answer text <p>Defra is committed to meeting the statutory deadline of 1st May 2023 to publish our revised Air Quality Strategy. The consultation principles are clear that consultations should last for a proportionate amount of time and are only part of the process. The document is focused on clarifying existing local authority duties rather than adding new ones.</p><p> </p><p>The document also reflects the feedback we have received through regular engagement we have had with local authorities and other bodies throughout the drafting process, in line with the consultation principles. We will be analysing the responses received to the consultation to ensure the Air Quality Strategy is both a useful and functional document for improving the air we breathe.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/04/2023 12:17:20 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1583347

registered interest
date	02/02/2023
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	Environment Agency: Pay
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 (a) has taken and (b) intends to take to resolve the ongoing dispute over the 2022-23 Environment Agency pay offer.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	138306
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2023 answer text <p>My Department works with the Environment Agency through the provision of its Corporate Services, including HR, to support it in developing a pay offer for its staff whilst ensuring it meets the requirements of the Government’s pay guidance of the day. The Environment Agency, as a non-departmental public body, conducts its own relevant consultation and negotiations on such matters, and has been actively engaging with the unions on the issue of pay.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/02/2023 12:12:48 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1583423

registered interest
date	02/02/2023
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	Air Pollution: 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, with reference to Answer to the Question from the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion at Prime Minister's Questions on 1 February 2023, Official Report, column 338, on what evidential basis he stated that the measures the Government is putting in place to improve air quality are world leading.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	138312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2023 answer text <p>Emissions of key pollutants have fallen significantly since 2010, with nitrogen dioxide down by 44%, sulphur dioxide down by 70% and fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) down 18%. But there is more to do.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has a proud history of global leadership on air quality, from co-founding the UNECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution in 1979, to co-chairing the new Forum for International Co-operation on Air Pollution. We have used these fora to drive reductions in global transboundary air pollution, and to share our science and policy expertise.</p><p> </p><p>Domestically we are taking world-leading action on air quality, including by:</p><p> </p><p>- being the first G7 country to announce it will phase out the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and that from 2035, all new cars and vans must be zero emissions at the tailpipe. The Government has already spent over £2 billion to support the transition to zero emission vehicles.</p><p>- setting an innovative population exposure reduction target under the Environment Act 2021, which will, on average, reduce people’s exposure to PM2.5 by over a third by 2040 compared to 2018, supported by an expansion of the national monitoring network to add over 100 new PM2.5 monitors across England by the end of 2027;</p><p>- speeding up the deployment of clean and renewable technologies such as solar and wind – where the UK is already a world leader in offshore generation. The transition towards these forms of energy generation will have significant air quality co-benefits.</p><p>- continuing to deliver the measures set out in our Clean Air Strategy. We have built on these measures in our recently published Environmental Improvement Plan.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 09/02/2023 12:23:00 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1583424

registered interest
date	02/02/2023
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	Air Pollution: 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, if she will publish her Department’s modelling which shows that reducing the annual mean concentration of PM2.5 to 10 µg/m3 by 2030 is not possible; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	138313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2023 answer text <p>A further report detailing the modelling conducted in support of the PM<sub>2.5</sub> targets was published on 9 February 2023. This is available here, alongside the numerous other documents which formed part of the over 800 pages of published evidence which supported the development of the environmental targets: <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/air-quality-targets" target="_blank">Air Quality Targets in the Environment Act - Defra, UK</a>.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/02/2023 14:44:36 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas