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1303877

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Nature Conservation: Property Development
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 extent of damage to Local Wildlife Sites by prospective developers, prior to applications for planning permission being submitted.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	171729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2021 answer text <p>My department has not undertaken such an assessment. National planning policy expects local plans to identify and map Local Wildlife Sites and to include policies that not only secure their protection from harm or loss but also help to enhance them and their connection to wider ecological networks.</p><p> </p><p>Defra requires local authorities to report annually on the proportion of Local Wildlife Sites where positive conservation management has been or is being implemented. In 2018/19, 47% of Local Wildlife Sites across England were in positive conservation management.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Bill contains important new measures for reversing nature’s decline. These include strengthening the existing biodiversity duty, to require all public authorities to take action to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Local Authorities will also be required to produce 5-yearly Biodiversity Reports setting out the action they have taken and its impact as part of this duty.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, the Environment Bill introduces a new biodiversity net gain requirement for development. This includes measures that allow planning authorities to recognise any habitat degradation since January 2020 and to take the earlier habitat state as the baseline for the purposes of biodiversity net gain.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 01/04/2021 10:58:52 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1303897

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Waste Disposal: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2021 to Question 160671, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for the Waste and Resources Action Programme grant scheme to (a) schools, (b) businesses and (c) other public bodies in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	171606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>The Binfrastructure grant scheme closed on the 10<sup>th</sup> March 2021. Local authorities were able to work in partnership with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) or other local partners when applying to the scheme, though grants could only be awarded to local authorities.</p><p>We believe that education, as well as getting businesses to take responsibility on litter, is important and this is reflected in our Litter Strategy, which is available at <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Flitter-strategy-for-england&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cemma.pryor%40defra.gov.uk%7C3a48ded0ee98415ea6c708d8ed546181%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C1%7C0%7C637520294104598021%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=bT4xB5uI3r%2FY%2FmPQf3VBvdFH7e8CxKUYKp73l3FjRrI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england</a></p><p>We want every child to have the opportunity to learn about the impacts of litter. As well as the Eco-Schools programme run by Keep Britain Tidy, which 80% of schools in England participate in, there are many other resources available for schools to use should they wish to teach pupils about the impact of litter and the importance of not littering. Organisations such as Keep Britain Tidy, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the Marine Conservation Society have all produced excellent resources for schools about litter and the damage that it can do to the environment.</p><p>We believe that businesses should try to reduce the amount of litter their products generate. The Litter Strategy sets out how we intend to work with the relevant industries to tackle certain types of particularly problematic litter, including fast-food packaging, smoking-related litter and chewing gum.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/03/2021 12:05:28 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1303931

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Air Pollution: Greater London
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many air pollution monitors in London have been upgraded since 2016.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	171731
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>As part of the national network of monitoring sites that the Environment Agency manages on Defra’s behalf, 15 new or upgraded instruments have been brought into service across 12 air quality monitoring sites across London since 2016.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently 19 air quality monitoring sites which are part of Defra’s national monitoring networks located in London. In addition to the national UK Air Quality monitoring networks, Local Authorities, businesses and academics carry out monitoring and modelling of air quality.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/03/2021 12:47:02 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1303936

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Air Pollution: Greater London
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 estimate he has made of the number of air quality monitoring stations in use in London.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	171732
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2021 answer text <p>As part of the national network of monitoring sites that the Environment Agency manages on Defra’s behalf, 15 new or upgraded instruments have been brought into service across 12 air quality monitoring sites across London since 2016.</p><p> </p><p>There are currently 19 air quality monitoring sites which are part of Defra’s national monitoring networks located in London. In addition to the national UK Air Quality monitoring networks, Local Authorities, businesses and academics carry out monitoring and modelling of air quality.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/03/2021 13:24:03 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1303943

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Horticulture: Northern Ireland
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 steps he is taking to ensure the flow of plants, seeds and other horticulture products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
tabling member constituency	The Cotswolds
tabling member printed	Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
uin	171495
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>The Northern Ireland Protocol obliges both the UK and EU to seek to streamline processes for trade between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI), and to avoid controls at NI ports as far as possible. In line with that obligation, through technical engagement with the European Commission, the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive have developed helpful practical arrangements to simplify checks and controls on goods to the maximum extent.</p><p> </p><p>The Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland currently in place allows authorised traders, such as supermarkets and their trusted suppliers, to move a large proportion of agri-food goods from GB to NI without the need for official certification, until 1 October 2021. Exporters of fruit, vegetables or cut flowers from GB to the EU or Northern Ireland, may also be eligible for the Plant Health Exports Audited Trader Scheme. Under this scheme, exporters are able to complete their own inspections and apply for phytosanitary certificates to be issued, which means checks take place at a time which suits them and avoids the need for official on-site inspections of each consignment.</p><p>The Government has also put in place the Movement Assistance Scheme. This scheme means that businesses moving plants, plant products or agricultural machinery from GB to NI do not need to pay for the fees associated with inspections and issuance of the phytosanitary certificates. Defra will monitor the performance of the scheme and review it after three months to determine how to best provide ongoing support to traders.</p><p> </p><p>In line with announcements made by the UK Government at the beginning of March, it is now much simpler to move plants with soil and growing media attached from GB to NI. This will remain the case whilst engagement with the European Commission continues to develop appropriate, risk-based arrangements for the long-term.</p><p> </p><p>Despite horticultural goods being eligible for some of these arrangements, comprehensive data on the movement of such goods between GB and NI is not available. However, total trade in Defra related goods between GB and NI is estimated to have recovered after a brief dip in January. Overall horticultural businesses have adjusting well since the end of the Transition Period and are trading effectively.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 171496 question first answered 26/03/2021 12:35:56 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	249 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

1303944

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Horticulture: Northern Ireland Protocol
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 assessment he has made of the effect of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the horticulture sector in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain.
tabling member constituency	The Cotswolds
tabling member printed	Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
uin	171496
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>The Northern Ireland Protocol obliges both the UK and EU to seek to streamline processes for trade between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI), and to avoid controls at NI ports as far as possible. In line with that obligation, through technical engagement with the European Commission, the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive have developed helpful practical arrangements to simplify checks and controls on goods to the maximum extent.</p><p> </p><p>The Scheme for Temporary Agri-food Movements to Northern Ireland currently in place allows authorised traders, such as supermarkets and their trusted suppliers, to move a large proportion of agri-food goods from GB to NI without the need for official certification, until 1 October 2021. Exporters of fruit, vegetables or cut flowers from GB to the EU or Northern Ireland, may also be eligible for the Plant Health Exports Audited Trader Scheme. Under this scheme, exporters are able to complete their own inspections and apply for phytosanitary certificates to be issued, which means checks take place at a time which suits them and avoids the need for official on-site inspections of each consignment.</p><p>The Government has also put in place the Movement Assistance Scheme. This scheme means that businesses moving plants, plant products or agricultural machinery from GB to NI do not need to pay for the fees associated with inspections and issuance of the phytosanitary certificates. Defra will monitor the performance of the scheme and review it after three months to determine how to best provide ongoing support to traders.</p><p> </p><p>In line with announcements made by the UK Government at the beginning of March, it is now much simpler to move plants with soil and growing media attached from GB to NI. This will remain the case whilst engagement with the European Commission continues to develop appropriate, risk-based arrangements for the long-term.</p><p> </p><p>Despite horticultural goods being eligible for some of these arrangements, comprehensive data on the movement of such goods between GB and NI is not available. However, total trade in Defra related goods between GB and NI is estimated to have recovered after a brief dip in January. Overall horticultural businesses have adjusting well since the end of the Transition Period and are trading effectively.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis grouped question UIN 171495 question first answered 26/03/2021 12:35:56 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	249 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

1303945

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Horticulture: UK Trade with EU
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 assessment he has made of the costs of establishing and operating Border Control Posts for the inspection of plants and other horticultural products.
tabling member constituency	The Cotswolds
tabling member printed	Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
uin	171497
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>Border Control Posts (BCPs) are not being built or operated by the UK Government. The Government has provided generous funding to help local authorities construct and operate BCPs. This includes up to £200 million in grant funding from the Port Infrastructure Fund and Defra has provided £14 million to help recruit and train staff to support the checking regime.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 26/03/2021 12:46:14 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	249 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

1303946

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Horticulture: Imports
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 preparedness of Border Control Posts for the import inspection of horticulture products.
tabling member constituency	The Cotswolds
tabling member printed	Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
uin	171498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2021 answer text <p>Since 1 January, high-risk plants have been inspected at their places of destination. Defra is confident that the Border Control Posts (BCPs) will be ready to start physical inspections of high-risk plants and plant products when the new regime of checks commences on 1 January 2022. The BCPs will be ready to start physical inspections of low-risk plants and plant product checks from March 2022.</p><p> </p><p>Defra continues to work directly with ports and airports to prepare the necessary infrastructure, staff and IT systems for SPS checks to be completed. We continue to monitor port BCP delivery and will support ports to achieve an initial operating capability as import controls are phased in.</p><p>The phased implementation reduces risk of BCP infrastructure not being ready and provides Port Health Authorities, importers, hauliers, exporters and their agents, sufficient time to prepare and familiarise themselves with these new requirements.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 30/03/2021 07:13:23 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	249 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

1303947

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Horticulture: Imports
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 (a) potential merits of introducing a trusted trader scheme for importers of ornamental horticulture products and (b) the role such a scheme could play in providing value for money for tax payers.
tabling member constituency	The Cotswolds
tabling member printed	Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
uin	171499
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>As the phased introduction of EU-GB plant health import controls is completed in early 2022, Defra is exploring possible options for performing plant health controls away from the border on a longer term basis, such as increased uptake in the use of designated plant health control points, or a trusted trader scheme for checks at destination. We would consult on any long term option with industry, to ensure that our high standards of biosecurity are maintained.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 26/03/2021 12:01:53 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	249 label Biography information for Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

1303963

registered interest
date	18/03/2021
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	Flood Control: Greater Manchester
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 the Government will make additional funding available for flood defences in Prestolee and Stoneclough.
tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
uin	171556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2021 answer text <p>Starting from 2021, the Government will invest £5.2 billion in a six-year capital investment programme for flood and coastal erosion risk management to build around 2,000 new flood defences. This investment will better protect 336,000 properties, including 290,000 homes, from flooding and coastal erosion by 2027.</p><p> </p><p>Defra provides the majority of its funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management to the Environment Agency as Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid (FDGiA). The Environment Agency spends this funding directly on FCERM, but also passes some on as grants to Local Authorities or Internal Drainage Boards</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The proposed Prestolee and Stoneclough flood scheme will protect approximately 80 homes in the community of Prestolee, with the total cost of the scheme estimated to be £3 million - £4.5 million. The scheme is currently eligible for £1.47 million of Defra FDGiA, of which £250,000 has already been awarded for 2020/21 following a successful FDGiA acceleration bid. This has allowed the scheme to progress to Outline Business Case stage.</p><p> </p><p>Funding for all projects are allocated according to the rules that govern Defra’s existing six-year capital programme and in accordance with the Partnership Funding Policy. The Partnership Funding policy clarifies the level of investment communities can expect from Defra so it is clear what level of funding they need source from other sources to allow projects to go ahead.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 26/03/2021 12:08:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi