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1693319

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
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, what steps he is taking to tackle litter.
tabling member constituency	Ashford
tabling member printed	Damian Green
uin	16579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>Our Litter Strategy for England sets out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The strategy contains a number of commitments, many of which have been completed or are nearing completion. Progress reports on delivering the Litter Strategy can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england-progress-reports" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england-progress-reports</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan set out how we will support council’s to take tougher action against those that litter. For example, last July we significantly raised the upper limit on fixed penalty notices from £150 to £500.</p><p> </p><p>The Chewing Gum Task Force, established by Defra and funded by producers, has provided almost £2.5 million in grants since 2022 to help nearly 100 councils remove gum stains from high streets and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum being dropped in the first place. The Task Force has just launched another grant scheme for councils this year. Further information can be be found at: <a href="https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/local-authorities/reduce-litter/gum-litter/chewing-gum-task-force" target="_blank">https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/local-authorities/reduce-litter/gum-litter/chewing-gum-task-force</a>.</p><p> </p><p>National Highways has developed a new campaign that aims to educate and change road users’ behaviour towards littering. The campaign will run from 12 February to 10 March and road users will be implored to stop littering as its deadly impact on wildlife is revealed.</p><p> </p><p>In January this year, we announced our plans to ban disposable vapes in the UK. This will help to tackle a huge and growing stream of hard-to-recycle waste and litter, with nearly 5 million thrown away every week.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 13:54:25 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	76 label Biography information for Damian Green

1693409

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
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, if he will take steps to provide additional support to local authorities to reduce air pollution in areas which breach air quality standards.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	16825
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>As recognised in our Environmental Improvement Plan, local authorities have a central role in improving air quality. The Air Quality Strategy, published last year, supports councils in their role by providing a comprehensive framework for local action. Defra also supports local authorities in England to reduce air pollution through events, resources and knowledge sharing, including the 2023 Local Air Quality Symposium.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this, we run an annual Air Quality Grant Scheme. Through this grant, approximately £52 million has been awarded to nearly 500 local authority projects since 2010. This year the scheme will award over £6 million to improve air quality in local communities.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 14:20:44 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1692797

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
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, when his Department plans to publish a revised response to the consultation on Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	16430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>The Government consulted on improved food waste reporting by large businesses in England and published a response in July 2023. The new Secretary of State has however decided to look again at how best to secure the benefits of food waste reporting, including mandatory measures for large businesses. We now intend to gather further evidence and re-consider all the options using the latest available data in order to retake the decision later this year.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 14:30:58 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1692823

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
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	Fluorinated Gases
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 he has made of the adequacy of the (a) training and (b) certification of technicians in the use of alternative products during the planned transition away from fluorinated gases.
tabling member constituency	Bath
tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
uin	16436
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>There are industry-led training courses already available on the use of alternative refrigerant gases. As noted in the Defra assessment report of December 2022 on the impact of the current Regulation on fluorinated gases, some industry stakeholders have suggested that mandatory training should be introduced for alternatives with flammability, toxicity and high-pressure properties. We are reviewing the provisions of the Regulation and intend to consult on proposals for change in due course.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 14:28:22 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1692860

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
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 recent steps he has taken to reduce the levels of (a) nitrogen dioxide and (b) particulate matter in air.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	16401
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>The nitrogen dioxide (NO2) programme has allocated £883m to support local authorities to address NO2 exceedances. This funding has supported measures including vehicle upgrade and scrappage schemes, improved traffic management, and better cycling infrastructure.</p><p> </p><p>New PM2.5 targets were recently set as part of the Environment Act. These targets focus on reducing PM2.5 where concentrations are highest as well as ensuring population exposure is reduced across the country. Meeting these targets will require action across a range of sectors and has included legislation to restrict the sale of wet wood, coal and high sulphur manufactured solid fuels for use in domestic premises. Since January 2022 all stoves placed on the market in the United Kingdom must be Ecodesign compliant. These requirements have been accompanied by an ongoing communication campaign aimed at raising awareness and educating people on the risks of burning solid fuels, encouraging those that need to burn to do so as cleanly and efficiently as possible.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 14:26:34 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1692861

registered interest
date	29/02/2024
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 recent assessment has he made of the effectiveness of the steps his Department is taking to help ensure that local authorities reach legally-compliant standards in air quality.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	16402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>Under the 2017 UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Concentrations, Government assesses whether local authorities in the NO2 Programme have successfully delivered a reduction in NO2 concentrations. The programme’s evaluation also helps understand the effectiveness and impacts of Local NO2 Plan measures.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Secretary of State is required to lay a statement before Parliament each year, under section 80A of the Environment Act 1995, setting out an assessment of the progress made in meeting our wider air quality standards and objectives as well as the steps taken in support of meeting those standards and objectives.</p><p> </p><p>The last Written Ministerial Statement to this effect was laid in Parliament on 13 July 2023. In accordance with this requirement, the Secretary of State will provide a further update to the House on our progress as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the financial year in 2024.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 14:23:53 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1692458

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	Plastics: 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 his Department has taken to tackle levels of plastic waste; and whether he plans to take steps to help reduce the amount of waste that is shipped abroad for disposal.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	16075
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK is a leading voice in tackling plastic pollution and were proud to co-sponsor the proposal to prepare a new international, legally binding plastics treaty. Negotiations have not yet concluded; however, the UK are committed to securing an ambitious agreement by the end of 2024 and have called for the treaty to include measures that restrain and reduce the production and consumption of plastic to sustainable levels.</p><p> </p><p>We have banned the use of microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. Our single-use plastic carrier bag charge, now 10p, has reduced the number of such bags given out by the main supermarkets by over 98%. We brought in measures to restrict the supply of single-use plastic straws and single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds and ban the supply of plastic drink stirrers in 2020. And in October 2023, we banned the supply of single-use plastic plates, bowls, and trays to the end-user and banned the supply of single-use plastic cutlery and single-use plastic balloon sticks and expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers, including cups. In April 2022, we brought in the Plastic Packaging Tax, a tax of £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. From April 2023, it has increased in line with inflation to £210.82/tonne.</p><p> </p><p>Under the UK Plan for Shipments of Waste, it is generally prohibited to export waste for disposal, subject to some exceptions within that plan' <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F6140b69f8fa8f503c6403e4b%2FUK_plan_shipments_waste.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C877c1c7ab98a4f370bd308dc3a142d4c%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638449105536903759%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4cCXanlL%2B%2BS46CYp9pOMRBGJWan4OcHq34PTna6bDrY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">UK plan for shipments of waste (publishing.service.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses involved in the export of waste are required by law to take all necessary steps to ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and during its recycling. Individuals and businesses found to be exporting waste in contravention of these requirements can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine. In addition, the Government has committed to banning the export of plastic waste to countries which are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and we plan to consult this year on the date by which this should be achieved.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore grouped question UIN 16076 question first answered 08/03/2024 13:59:55 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1692462

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	Plastics: 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, what steps he has taken to contribute towards the target in the Global Plastics Treaty of a 75% reduction in virgin plastic production and single-use plastics by 2040.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	16076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK is a leading voice in tackling plastic pollution and were proud to co-sponsor the proposal to prepare a new international, legally binding plastics treaty. Negotiations have not yet concluded; however, the UK are committed to securing an ambitious agreement by the end of 2024 and have called for the treaty to include measures that restrain and reduce the production and consumption of plastic to sustainable levels.</p><p> </p><p>We have banned the use of microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. Our single-use plastic carrier bag charge, now 10p, has reduced the number of such bags given out by the main supermarkets by over 98%. We brought in measures to restrict the supply of single-use plastic straws and single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds and ban the supply of plastic drink stirrers in 2020. And in October 2023, we banned the supply of single-use plastic plates, bowls, and trays to the end-user and banned the supply of single-use plastic cutlery and single-use plastic balloon sticks and expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers, including cups. In April 2022, we brought in the Plastic Packaging Tax, a tax of £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. From April 2023, it has increased in line with inflation to £210.82/tonne.</p><p> </p><p>Under the UK Plan for Shipments of Waste, it is generally prohibited to export waste for disposal, subject to some exceptions within that plan' <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F6140b69f8fa8f503c6403e4b%2FUK_plan_shipments_waste.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C877c1c7ab98a4f370bd308dc3a142d4c%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638449105536903759%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4cCXanlL%2B%2BS46CYp9pOMRBGJWan4OcHq34PTna6bDrY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">UK plan for shipments of waste (publishing.service.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses involved in the export of waste are required by law to take all necessary steps to ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and during its recycling. Individuals and businesses found to be exporting waste in contravention of these requirements can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine. In addition, the Government has committed to banning the export of plastic waste to countries which are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and we plan to consult this year on the date by which this should be achieved.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore grouped question UIN 16075 question first answered 08/03/2024 13:59:55 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1692468

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	Plastics: Packaging
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 estimate he has made of how many single-use plastic products were disposed of in (a) Preston, (b) Lancashire and (c) England in the last three years; and what support his Department plans to provide to businesses to encourage the production of more sustainable packaging products.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	16077
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>We have made no assessment of single-use plastic product disposal in those areas in the last three years.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is determined to transform the way we collect, recycle, and reuse our waste materials so we eliminate all avoidable waste by 2050. This is why we are introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) to make producers responsible for the costs of collecting and managing the packaging they produce. pEPR will encourage producers to reduce the use of unnecessary packaging and use more recyclable and reusable materials in packaging. Furthermore, through UK Research and Innovation, we have provided over £190 million to over 280 projects in the last 5 years, for research to help us reduce plastic waste and increase the sustainability of the plastic packaging we use.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 13:51:54 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1692516

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
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	Rivers: Sewage
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 is he taking to neutralise sewage in rivers.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	16247
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2024 answer text <p>Through the Government's expanded Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, published in September 2023, we have set stringent targets for water companies to reduce their use of storm overflows.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan requires that water companies must significantly reduce harmful pathogens from storm overflows discharging near designated bathing waters, by either: applying disinfection; or reducing the frequency of discharges to meet Environment Agency spill standards by 2035. It also sets out that water companies will only be permitted to discharge from a storm overflow where they can demonstrate that there is no local adverse ecological impact. This target must be achieved for all storm overflows in England by 2050.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, new provisions in the Water Industry Act, inserted by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, will address pollution at source by placing a new statutory duty on water companies in designated catchments to upgrade wastewater treatment works by 2030, reducing the impact of sewage on our waterways and the people who use them.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 08/03/2024 13:43:33 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell