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1134867

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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	Southern Water
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 findings of OFWAT's recent investigation into whether Southern Water breached its statutory duties and licence obligations, what assessment he has made of the safety of the water supply in Southern Water supplied areas.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	269772
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Ofwat’s recent investigation related to the release of wastewater to the environment.</p><p> </p><p>Drinking water supplied by Southern Water is safe for consumers. Water companies are required to provide safe, wholesome drinking water. The Drinking Water Inspectorate scrutinises the results of treated water sampling by companies in England and Wales. This amounts to over 4 million sample results, over 230,000 of which are provided by Southern Water.</p><p> </p><p>Water companies are required to take action when there are issues to be addressed. In the event of short term operational issues affecting supplies, there are well practiced procedures in place for protection of consumers. Companies are also required to rectify issues requiring medium to long term mitigation.</p><p> </p><p>Where the Inspectorate is not satisfied with a company’s response, it will take enforcement actions which range from making suggestions and recommendations through to criminal prosecutions. The Environment Agency is responsible for reporting on the quality of water in the environment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 16:23:04 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1134956

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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	Plastics: 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 estimate he has made of the quantity of UK plastic waste that has been returned from countries overseas; what steps he is taking to dispose of that waste; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	269660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Waste management is a devolved matter and the figures provided here for plastic waste returned in the years 2016 to 2018 relate to England only.</p><p> </p><p>The tonnages of returned waste shown in the table below are derived from requests made by regulators in other countries to the Environment Agency. When these instances occur the Environment Agency requires the exporter of the waste to make arrangements to bring it back. It is also the responsibility of the exporter to arrange for the returned waste to be dealt with in accordance with the waste hierarchy and in compliance with UK waste legislation.</p><p> </p><p>Information on the corresponding annual tonnage and value of UK plastic waste exports are provided for the purpose of context.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Plastic waste exported from UK, kilotonnes<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>Value of plastic waste exports from UK, £m<sup>2</sup></p></td><td><p>Plastic waste returned to England, kilotonnes<sup>3</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>789.9</p></td><td><p>158.2</p></td><td><p>0.03</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p>660.7</p></td><td><p>138.7</p></td><td><p>4.19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>611.9</p></td><td><p>107.5</p></td><td><p>1.36</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Sources:</p><p>1 and 2: HMRC customs data</p><p>3: Environment Agency</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 10:14:21 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134957

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
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	Schools: Energy
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 discussions he has with Cabinet colleagues on requiring schools to be energy independent.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	269661
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions on this subject. Energy policy is the responsibility of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 16:25:05 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134530

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	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, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the protection and restoration of peat moss in achieving net carbon neutrality for the UK.
tabling member constituency	Altrincham and Sale West
tabling member printed	Sir Graham Brady
uin	268974
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Recently published Government research identified that the emissions from UK peatlands range from 18.5 to 23 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. Peatland restoration is therefore a key way to mitigate emissions and will play an important role in achieving net carbon neutrality in the UK. We will publish an England Peat Strategy later this year which will set out our approach to protecting and restoring peat.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 09:41:37 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	435 label Biography information for Sir Graham Brady

1134629

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	Rural Areas: Loneliness
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 Loneliness Strategy, what progress his department has made on convening a rural stakeholder group to (a) advise and support the work of Government Departments and (b) help support the communication of initiatives and good practice at a local level.
tabling member constituency	Newton Abbot
tabling member printed	Anne Marie Morris
uin	269062
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Government has engaged closely with the Loneliness Action Group in the development of, and now implementation of, its loneliness strategy. Defra officials have engaged with the quarterly Loneliness Action Group meetings, to share updates and hear the group's views. The Minister for Sport and Civil Society, who leads Government's work on loneliness, spoke at the Loneliness Action Group conference in May 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to tackling loneliness in rural areas. Last year the Minister for Rural Affairs co-hosted a roundtable on rural loneliness with the Minister for Loneliness.</p><p> </p><p>We share learning and ensure effective implementation via stakeholder engagement. A rural stakeholder forum, a commitment in the Government’s loneliness strategy, was held earlier this year, co-hosted by Defra and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). This was an opportunity for Government to listen to the challenges faced by rural communities trying to tackle loneliness and for attendees to share good practice. A further forum will be held in the autumn. The Minister for Rural Affairs held a smaller, more focused forum earlier this month. These events are part of ongoing conversations between Government and stakeholders on this important issue.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 269063 question first answered 01/07/2019 10:21:54 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4249 label Biography information for Anne Marie Morris

1134630

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	Loneliness
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 Loneliness Strategy, what steps his Department is taking with the Loneliness Action Group to (a) share learning on loneliness and (b) ensure the effective implementation of that strategy.
tabling member constituency	Newton Abbot
tabling member printed	Anne Marie Morris
uin	269063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>Government has engaged closely with the Loneliness Action Group in the development of, and now implementation of, its loneliness strategy. Defra officials have engaged with the quarterly Loneliness Action Group meetings, to share updates and hear the group's views. The Minister for Sport and Civil Society, who leads Government's work on loneliness, spoke at the Loneliness Action Group conference in May 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to tackling loneliness in rural areas. Last year the Minister for Rural Affairs co-hosted a roundtable on rural loneliness with the Minister for Loneliness.</p><p> </p><p>We share learning and ensure effective implementation via stakeholder engagement. A rural stakeholder forum, a commitment in the Government’s loneliness strategy, was held earlier this year, co-hosted by Defra and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). This was an opportunity for Government to listen to the challenges faced by rural communities trying to tackle loneliness and for attendees to share good practice. A further forum will be held in the autumn. The Minister for Rural Affairs held a smaller, more focused forum earlier this month. These events are part of ongoing conversations between Government and stakeholders on this important issue.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 269062 question first answered 01/07/2019 10:21:54 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4249 label Biography information for Anne Marie Morris

1134637

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	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 steps his Department is taking to ensure co-operation with the EU on tackling air pollution after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Totnes
tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
uin	269048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK remains a signatory to the 1979 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and will continue to be at the forefront of international action and cooperation to tackle transboundary air pollution alongside the EU.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 13:23:32 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

1134638

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	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 steps he is taking to promote cross-departmental collaboration on adopting World Health Organisation standards for fine particulate matter.
tabling member constituency	Totnes
tabling member printed	Dr Sarah Wollaston
uin	269049
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Clean Air Strategy sets out our commitments to take bold action across all parts of Government to achieve reductions in air pollution. We are committed to the setting of an ambitious long term target to reduce population exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Defra continues to work closely with other Government departments and agencies to deliver the Strategy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 09:34:55 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4073 label Biography information for Dr Sarah Wollaston

1133999

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Climate Change
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 anthropogenic climate change and global warming.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Laura Smith
uin	268492
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The government introduced legislation for a new net-zero emissions target for 2050, which was passed by Parliament last month.</p><p> </p><p>Defra works closely with the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the natural resources sector, including agriculture, forestry, land-use, waste and resources, and fluorinated gases, as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>The UK was the first country in the EU to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which will through reducing the use of hydrofluorocarbon greenhouse gases lead to a reduction of emissions by 85% by 2036.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We support nature-based solutions through our international aid programmes on forestry and mangroves/blue forests that act as effective carbon sinks as well as provide for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.</p><p> </p><p>We will publish the England Peat Strategy to protect existing carbon stores and as part of this we are establishing a Lowland Agricultural Peat Taskforce to develop a more sustainable future for agriculture on lowland peatland in England. Following on from our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are consulting on food waste collection schemes which will divert food waste from landfill.</p><p> </p><p>As the cornerstone of new agricultural policy, the new Environmental Land Management Scheme will pay public money for the provision of environmental public goods, such as the mitigation of and adaption to climate change. This year, we will start developing a new emissions reduction plan for agriculture, in which we will set out our long-term vision for a more productive, low-carbon farming sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The action we are taking will continue our tradition in climate leadership.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 16:04:10 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4648 label Biography information for Laura Smith

1134047

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Agriculture: Plastics
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 is taking to reduce the effect of plasticulture on the environment; and what support his Department is giving to farmers to tackle plastic waste within their businesses.
tabling member constituency	Delyn
tabling member printed	David Hanson
uin	268406
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>This is a devolved matter and the answer applies to England only.</p><p>Our Resources and Waste Strategy, published in December last year, builds on commitments in our 25 Year Environment Plan and sets out plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. This is a seismic shift – it is not just about single use plastics, for example, but about all plastics, including those used in agriculture.</p><p>Plastics are used on farms for a number of reasons. Wrapping hay and silage bales, transporting feed and fertiliser, and insulating and protecting soil and horticultural crops, for example. The materials used are mostly recyclable, however attempts to collect it for recycling have often been unsuccessful, due to high levels of contamination making the recycling process uneconomic. The Government recognises the issues caused by inappropriate disposal of agricultural plastic, and we are working with the Environment Agency and the Waste and Resources Action Programme to explore how Government policy can address them.</p><p>Plastics used in agriculture are ultimately a small proportion of the total volume of plastics used, and the Government is taking a prioritised approach to tackling the overarching problem of plastic pollution. Earlier this year we published consultations on a number of key policy measures to significantly change the way that we manage our waste and to reduce the impacts of plastic on the environment: reforming existing packaging waste regulations; exploring the introduction of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers; and increasing consistency in the recycling system, along with a parallel consultation on the plastic packaging tax that the Chancellor announced in the Budget last year. We will publish the Government responses to these consultations on the GOV.UK website in due course.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 01/07/2019 13:28:22 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	533 label Biography information for David Hanson