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1023199

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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 Supply
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 his Department has taken to improve water management in areas affected by (a) water shortages and (b) drought.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	201093
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) continues to support flexible abstraction for agriculture to support winter reservoir storage, irrigation and crop lifting. 60% of the 150 applications have been agreed this year. The EA continue to work with the National Farmers’ Union to help farmers prepare for 2019 through developing advice and running local drop-in surgeries to help farmers review their abstraction licensing needs.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Water companies are following their drought plans. The EA continues to work closely with them to ensure they are taking actions in a timely manner. Such actions include awareness campaigns for their customers to use water wisely, reduce leakage, make changes to their network operations and seek additional water through applying for drought permits. Two companies (United Utilities and Yorkshire Water) have applied for drought permits since July.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 17/12/2018 11:00:42 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1023200

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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 Supply
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 he has plans to introduce financial incentives to encourage on-farm reservoirs to tackle water shortages in affected areas.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	201094
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Countryside Productivity Scheme offered grants towards the costs of constructing on-farm reservoirs. This scheme was open for applications between July 2017 and June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Agriculture Bill sets out the foundations for our future farming policy. The Bill includes powers to give financial assistance for a number of purposes. These purposes include managing the land or water in a way that protects or improves the environment, and improving the productivity of an agricultural, horticultural or forestry activity.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to work closely with farmers, land managers, and other stakeholders as we develop our proposals for future schemes.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 17/12/2018 09:34:02 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1023202

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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 Supply
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 he has plans to increase investment in (a) the UK’s medium-term weather and (b) real-time water availability forecasting capability for farming to support drought planning.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	201106
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>BEIS is the lead department on matters regarding weather and the Met Office.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Met Office weather predictions feed into the UK Hydrological Outlook which describes likely river flows and groundwater levels over the coming season and is used to support flood and drought risk assessments and adaptation planning. The Met Office also supports the National Drought Group, of which the National Farmers Union (NFU) is a partner, by providing briefing on the latest seasonal outlook.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency (EA) is developing a digital water resources licensing service. A pilot to make river information available in near real time was successfully undertaken this year in priority catchments. Current plans are to implement this across the country ahead of summer 2019 to enable more abstractors to manage their water abstraction during periods of prolonged dry weather. This is an enhancement to current support to abstractors, for example provision of advice and daily river flow data by phone or email.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 17/12/2018 17:52:57 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1023216

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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: Seasonal Workers
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 he plans to respond to his Department's paper entitled, Seasonal workers pilot: request for information, published in September 2018.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	201232
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>The paper entitled Seasonal workers pilot: request for information (RFI), published in September 2018, laid out the details of the Pilot explained Defra’s expectations of any potential Pilot Operators, and requested information from any organisation seeking to operate the Pilot to enable Defra to assess their suitability. The responses to the RFI were evaluated as part of the Pilot’s competitive selection process and two Pilot Operators were selected. The statement of changes to the Immigration rules laid out on 11 December 2018 names of the selected Pilot Operators.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 17/12/2018 11:00:55 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1023218

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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: Seasonal Workers
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 discussions his Department has had with representatives from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority on the seasonal workers pilot.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	201234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Defra officials are working closely with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) on the Government’s seasonal workers pilot. The oversight and protection of workers was a central element of the selection process for Pilot Operators. The selected Pilot Operators were first publically announced in the Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules, which was laid on 11 December and is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-1779-11-december-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-1779-11-december-2018</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Officials will continue working closely with the GLAA over the two year operation of the Pilot. A key objective of the pilot is to ensure that migrant workers are adequately protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The operators of the scheme will be licensed by the GLAA. They will ensure that all workers are placed with farms who adhere to all relevant legislation, including paying the National Minimum Wage. Farmers will also be vetted to ensure that living and working conditions are of a suitable quality.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 17/12/2018 10:51:04 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1023219

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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: Seasonal Workers
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 Seasonal Workers Pilot in the agricultural sector, how much time will be provided to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority to develop a system for worker oversight and protection in the UK and overseas from the point at which Pilot Operators are chosen to the point at which the pilot starts to provide workers to growers and employers in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	201235
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>Defra officials are working closely with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) on the Government’s seasonal workers pilot. The oversight and protection of workers was a central element of the selection process for Pilot Operators. The selected Pilot Operators were first publically announced in the Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules, which was laid on 11 December and is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-1779-11-december-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-1779-11-december-2018</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Officials will continue working closely with the GLAA over the two year operation of the Pilot. A key objective of the pilot is to ensure that migrant workers are adequately protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The operators of the scheme will be licensed by the GLAA. They will ensure that all workers are placed with farms who adhere to all relevant legislation, including paying the National Minimum Wage. Farmers will also be vetted to ensure that living and working conditions are of a suitable quality.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 17/12/2018 11:06:31 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1023253

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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, how many meetings his Department has held with compliance organisations to discuss the forthcoming resources and waste strategy in 2018.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff North
tabling member printed	Anna McMorrin
uin	201240
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>The Department has met compliance schemes to discuss proposals for reforming the packaging producer responsibility system, which will be part of the forthcoming Resources and Waste Strategy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 17/12/2018 09:39:55 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4632 label Biography information for Anna McMorrin

1023290

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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	Peatlands
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 the Government plans to publish its Peat Strategy.
tabling member constituency	Berwick-upon-Tweed
tabling member printed	Anne-Marie Trevelyan
uin	201257
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2018 answer text <p>The England Peat Strategy will be published in 2019.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/12/2018 12:47:10 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan

1023335

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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, how many enforcement actions the Environment Agency has taken against each water company in England in each of the last 10 years; and of those enforcement actions how many resulted in financial sanctions against the water company.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	201099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2018 answer text <p>The Environment Agency uses prosecutions, civil sanctions, formal cautions, enforcement notices and warning letters as enforcement actions against water companies. Information on financial sanctions resulting from prosecutions against water companies is provided in the attached table. It is not possible to collate data on formal cautions, enforcement notices and warning letters against each water company in England in each of the last 10 years in the time available.</p><p>Enforcement Undertakings (EUs) are a civil sanction and constitute a voluntary offer made by offenders, containing actions to address the cause and effect of their offending. The Environment Agency is increasingly using EUs for suitable cases to restore or enhance the environment, improve practices of the offending business and ensure future compliance with environmental requirements.</p><p>The Environment Agency has accepted Enforcement Undertakings from the following water companies for environmental offences:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Company</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Number of Enforcement Undertakings (2014 – )</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Amount raised for environmental projects (£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Anglian Water Services Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>9</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>560000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Northumbrian Water Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>6</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>912000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Seven Trent Water limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>0</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southern Water Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>0</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West Water Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>2</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>89900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Water Utilities Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>4</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>759000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>United Utilities Water Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>6</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>935650</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wessex Water Services Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>5</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>1301000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire Water Limited</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>1</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p>200000</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/12/2018 13:02:01 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1023337

registered interest
date	11/12/2018
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, how many investigations Ofwat has undertaken into each water company in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those investigations resulted in a water company receiving a financial penalty.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	201100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2018 answer text <p>Ofwat has undertaken eleven enforcement investigations since 2008, and imposed a total of £65.8 million in financial penalties, for issues including leakage and poor customer service. In some cases, Ofwat has also negotiated a total of £192 million in compensation for customers through bill reductions, and £92 million in donations to charities and community projects.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Company </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Financial penalty / compensation to customers or donations to charities </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Water</p></td><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£1 financial penalty.</li><li>£120 million refunded to customers.</li><li>£7 million donation to charities.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Water</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£1 financial penalty.</li><li>£79 million refunded to customers.</li><li>£7 million donation to charities.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southern Water</p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£5 million refund to customers</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Veolia Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£0.94 million refund to customers.</li><li>£2.5 million donation to charities.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Veolia Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£42,000 financial penalty.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Severn Trent Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£35.8 million financial penalty.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Severn Trent Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£42 million refunded to customers.</li><li>£5 million donation to charity.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£9.7 million financial penalty.</li></ul></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southern Water</p></td><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p><ul><li>£20.3 million financial penalty.</li></ul></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 19/12/2018 12:53:15 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas