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1611422

registered interest
date	17/04/2023
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	Horticulture: 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, when her Department plans to respond to the letter from the Klondyke Group, dated 7 April 2023, on banning the use of peat for professional growers.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	181050
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2023 answer text <p>A reply is being prepared and will be sent to the correspondent directly.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 20/04/2023 16:17:58 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1587689

registered interest
date	21/02/2023
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	Iron and Steel: 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, whether she plans to take steps to prevent steel scrap waste from being exported to economies with lower environmental standards.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	149458
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2023 answer text <p>Steel scrap waste is a commodity which is traded on a legitimate global market. Where the UK cannot currently recycle materials economically, exports can help ensure those materials are recycled. The UK Government therefore has no plans to restrict the exports of steel scrap for recycling.</p><p> </p><p>While there is a legitimate global market for secondary materials, it must be and is subject to strict regulatory requirements. Under the UK legislation on waste shipments, businesses involved in the export of wastes are required 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.</p><p> </p><p>All waste exports need to be made in accordance with the relevant legislation and we have a system of inspections in place to verify compliance. The UK regulators mount targeted inspections at UK ports working with the shipping sector to help detect and prevent illegal waste shipments. Individuals and businesses found to be exporting waste in contravention of the requirements in the legislation waste can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 24/02/2023 11:45:46 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1539461

registered interest
date	04/11/2022
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	Flood Control: Capital Investment
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 policy paper entitled The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, published on 18 November 2020, how much his Department has spent on the six-year capital investment programme for flood and coastal defences through point nine on protecting our natural environment since the publication of that plan.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	79289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2022 answer text <p>Investment in flooding and coastal erosion in England is provided by the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra).</p><p> </p><p>HM Government has invested £761 million in 2021/22, the first year of the capital Flood and Coastal Risk Investment Programme.</p><p> </p><p>Information on government spending on flood and coastal erosion risk management is available on GOV.UK within the document <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F1070943%2FFunding_for_FCERM_March_2021_Final_v1_accessible.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7CMarcus.Fry%40defra.gov.uk%7Cfa258a8748e44438128d08dac1936a1b%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638035136140114326%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=9bPZWgRNxmvDPXbJQp0lvDcXGyDYUURN%2FYClQUpNRGk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Central Government Funding for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in England</a>, March 2022.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 14/11/2022 17:00:08 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1539462

registered interest
date	04/11/2022
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	Nature Conservation
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 policy paper entitled The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, published on 18 November 2020, how many nature projects have been delivered through point 9, protecting our natural environment, since the publication of that plan.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	79290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2022 answer text <p>Point 9 of The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution announced a number of actions government is putting in place to protect our natural environment. Since the publication of the Plan in November 2020, these measures have kick-started a number of nature projects:</p><p> </p><p>159 nature projects have been enabled by our £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a short-term competitive fund that has created and supported jobs in the nature sector across England. These projects have helped to restore nature, used nature-based solutions to tackle climate change and connected people with the natural environment.</p><p> </p><p>22 projects have been selected for the first round of Landscape Recovery, all of which have pioneering ideas that will improve the rural landscape and reverse the decline in nature. The successful projects will be awarded a share of around £12 million in development grants over the next two years, to help them finalise their delivery plans before starting implementation on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>25 schemes that include natural flood management (NFM) measures have secured approval to enter construction as part of the current Flood and Coastal Risk Investment Programme, with a further 27 forecast due to achieve the same stage by the end of this financial year (31 March 2023). These contribute towards an ambition of 260 schemes that include NFM measures by the end of the programme (March 2027).</p><p> </p><p>Two new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) (the Yorkshire Wolds and Cheshire Sandstone Ridge) and two extensions to AONBs (the Surrey Hills and Chilterns) are under consideration by Natural England (NE) under our landmark designation programme. This programme is expected to be completed by 2025 and will play a key role in meeting HM Government’s commitment to protect and improve 30% of UK land for nature by 2030.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 15/11/2022 16:24:32 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1507797

registered interest
date	22/09/2022
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	Horticulture: 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, with reference to the ban on the use of peat in horticulture announced by the Government in September 2022, which plants he plans to exempt from that ban.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	54507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2022 answer text <p>The proposed ban will be framed in such a way as to provide time limited exemptions for the professional horticulture sector, in order to allow time to overcome technical barriers to ending the use of peat. Officials are currently consulting with horticulture industry representatives to inform our detailed proposals.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 12/10/2022 07:51:37 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1507798

registered interest
date	22/09/2022
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	Horticulture: 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, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the Horticultural Trade Association's press release entitled HTA response to Defra announcement on horticultural peat, dated 27 August 2022.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	54508
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2022 answer text <p>I welcome the good progress made in terms of reducing the quantity of peat used in growing media. However, there is significant support for ending the use of peat in horticulture which will contribute to our net zero carbon targets and prevent biodiversity loss. Officials are currently engaging with stakeholders, including the Horticultural Trade Association, in order to identify and overcome the remaining technical barriers to ending the use of peat in horticulture.</p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 11/10/2022 08:20:24 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1420700

registered interest
date	08/02/2022
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	Veterinary Medicine
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 potential merits of amending the Veterinary Medicines Regulations for the purposes of (a) encouraging innovation and (b) reducing bureaucracy in the production of animal medicines in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	120747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2022 answer text <p>The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is in the process of reviewing the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (VMR) to ensure that they are fit for purpose. The powers to amend and supplement the VMR are set out in the Medicines and Medical Devices Act.</p><p> </p><p>The Act mandates that, in considering changes to the VMR, we must have regard to the likelihood of the United Kingdom being seen as a favourable place in which to develop, manufacture or supply veterinary medicines. Using the powers in the Act we are able to take a proportionate, risk-based approach to regulation. We intend to, where possible, reduce administrative burdens on industry, whilst effectively ensuring safety for animals, humans and the environment, as well as supporting the availability of veterinary medicines and the UK as an attractive place for UK-based innovation.</p><p> </p><p>We will carry out a formal public consultation on the proposed changes to the VMR as they have effect in Great Britain. This consultation will include an assessment of the impact of those changes on UK businesses and provide the opportunity for all stakeholders to express their views.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 21/02/2022 17:46:55 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1382248

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	Alcoholic Drinks: Supply Chains
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 the supply of wine and spirits over the festive period 2021-22.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	81938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2021 answer text <p>The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, as demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 response, and it is well equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Defra has well established ways of working with the industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. We do not anticipate disruption to the supply of alcohol this Christmas.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has acted quickly to tackle the challenges to our supply chains, which were brought on by global pressures including the pandemic and the international shortage of HGV drivers.</p><p> </p><p>Some of these Government-led key measures include the Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency’s action to increase HGV tests to 3,000 per week, the introduction of 16-week skills bootcamps to train new and returning drivers and the Department for Transport’s action to streamline HGV testing with a minimised regulatory framework adding around 50,000 more tests to be conducted.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this, the Transport Secretary relaxed driver hours regulation, allowing more deliveries to be made during unprecedented times of national driver shortage to manage food supply chain bottlenecks. This relaxation will last up to 9 January 2022 in England, Scotland and Wales covering the Christmas peak demand period for food across the supply chain.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 30/11/2021 11:42:49 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1340023

registered interest
date	24/06/2021
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	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 assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on the treatment of plastic waste of the Greenpeace Plastic Pledge; and whether he has plans to implement the recommendations set out in that pledge.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	21848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government's 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. We are making great strides to tackle plastic pollution. In December 2018 we published the Resources and Waste Strategy, which sets out how we want to achieve this and move towards a circular economy. Our approach is focused on increasing supply and demand for secondary materials to be recycled in the UK. We know more needs to be done, and for the most problematic plastics we are going faster - which is why we have committed to work towards all plastic packaging on the market being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government has a manifesto commitment to ban exports of plastic waste to non-OECD countries. The Government has committed to consult on this measure and work to deliver this is underway. Defra has commissioned research to have a better understanding of plastic waste recycling capacity in the UK and OECD member countries, and this research will be key to the development of policy options to implement the manifesto commitment. We currently plan to consult before the end of 2022 on options to deliver the proposed ban.</p><p> </p><p>Legitimate imports of plastic waste into the UK will be destined for recovery operations. The UK Government does not permit the import of plastic waste for disposal. The UK Government has not assessed the benefits of a ban on plastic waste imports and has no plans to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Bill includes a requirement for the Government to set at least one long-term target on resource efficiency and waste reduction. This target will take a holistic approach to reduce consumption of all materials, including plastics, increasing resource productivity and reducing the volume of waste we generate. Work is already underway to develop these targets. In order to help guide the Government, the Resources and Waste Targets Expert Group has been formed. More information can be found at: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fgroups%2Fresources-and-waste-targets-expert-group&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C582f05e2cb6942481d9b08d93aef50a0%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C1%7C0%7C637605621801428431%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=HdWvPclYnSm%2Bd%2Bf3n27sr6yi7PPTfxBUNtfIJVLvYxk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/resources-and-waste-targets-expert-group</a>. Moreover, the Government is exploring packaging recycling targets under our proposals for extended producer responsibility for packaging. The consultation on our more detailed proposals closed on the 4 June.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 22033 22044 question first answered 29/06/2021 15:14:15 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1328117

registered interest
date	26/05/2021
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
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 20 May 2021 to Question 4583 on Flood control, if he will publish the content of that feedback.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	7799
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/06/2021 answer text <p>All organisations who submitted expressions of interest to the flood and coastal resilience innovation programme have been offered detailed feedback. The significant details included in the expressions of interest and the subsequent feedback are commercially confidential, meaning that it is only appropriate for this to be handled between the applicant organisations and the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency is continuing to work with all projects that did not secure funding via this programme to take their <del class="ministerial">good</del> <ins class="ministerial">proposed</ins> ideas forward.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 07/06/2021 13:20:31 question first ministerially corrected 07/06/2021 13:38:48 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow previous answer version 4370 answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson