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1719562

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Bamboos: Weed 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, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict the planting of monopodial bamboo.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	27300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The “bamboo” family is a collection of more than 1500 species, some of which are considered invasive.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is aware that, if left uncontrolled, bamboo can in some cases become challenging to manage. It is advised that a physical barrier is used to prevent the uncontrolled spread of bamboo. Where the growth of bamboo poses an issue, the Government recommends that this is addressed by cooperation between owners and affected parties.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst the Government recognises that many bamboo species are vigorous and fast-growing, they are not currently thought to pose a significant threat to wildlife or to socio-economic interests nationally. Defra utilises horizon scanning exercises to identify potentially invasive species. As a result, a risk assessment of Black Bamboo (<em>Phyllostachys nigra</em>) was recently undertaken, however this showed the species to be of low risk to the country and therefore no further action was taken.</p><p> </p><p>Although the Government are not currently considering changing the legal status of one, or any, of the species of bamboo currently found in Great Britain, we keep matters such as these under review and continue to carry out horizon scanning and risk assessments for potential threats.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer grouped question UIN 26974 question first answered 23/05/2024 09:35:28 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1719577

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Waste: Crime
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 help tackle waste crime in rural areas.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	27267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government is committed to tackling waste crime, and we are preparing significant reforms to continue to increase the pressure on illegal waste operators. Reform of the waste exemptions regime will close loopholes and prevent exemptions from being misused to permit risky and illegal activity. Our planned electronic waste tracking reforms will make it harder than ever to mis-identify waste or dispose of it inappropriately. Planned changes to the Carriers, Brokers and Dealers licensing regime will modernise licensing and make it harder still for rogue operators to escape detection. These will come in addition to measures in the Environment Act 2021 which gives agencies stronger powers of entry and access to evidence in prosecuting waste crime as well as providing the Environment Agency with the ability to recover costs of investigation, intervention and enforcement at illegal or non-compliant waste sites.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also launched the Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC). It brings together the Environment Agency, HM Revenue &amp; Customs, the National Crime Agency, the police, waste regulators from across the UK and other operational partners to share intelligence and tasking to disrupt and prevent serious organised waste crime. Since its launch the JUWC has worked with 131 partner organisations and engaged in 253 multi-agency days of action, which have resulted in 180 associated arrests by other agencies.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this we are working with stakeholders, such as the National Farmers Union and local authorities, to share good practice including how to prevent fly-tipping on private land. We are also currently funding a post within the National Rural Crime Unit to explore how the police’s role in tacking fly-tipping can be optimised, with a focus on rural areas.</p><p> </p><p>Across three rounds of our fly-tipping grant scheme we have now awarded nearly £2.2 million to help more than 50 councils tackle fly-tipping at known hot-spots, including in rural areas, such as by installing CCTV and raising awareness of the household waste duty of care. Case studies from completed projects have been published so that others can learn from successful interventions.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 23/05/2024 14:26:52 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1719589

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Flood Control: 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, how much funding has been allocated to each of the devolved institutions to help tackle flooding in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	27366
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Flood defence spending is a devolved matter so questions about flood management spending and policy should be addressed directly to the devolved administrations.  Defra does not have information on devolved administration spending.</p><p> </p><p>The Barnett formula is applied in the normal way to any new funding provided to UK Government departments when the funding is allocated to those departments’ budgets. ‘Barnett’ funding to Devolved Administrations is not ring fenced.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 23/05/2024 12:43:48 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1719629

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	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, with reference to the Answer of 22 June 2023 to Question 188226 on Water Companies, how many (a) cautions, (b) prosecutions and (c) legal instruments the Drinking Water Inspectorate brought against water companies in each year since 2021 by water company.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	27313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>Since 2021, the Drinking Water Inspectorate brought against water companies in each year since 2021,</p><p> </p><p>(a) two cautions, one against Thames (2023) and one against Southern Water (2023),</p><p> </p><p>(b) three prosecutions, against Southern Water (2022) and one against South West and Bournemouth Water (2022) and one against Wessex Water in 2023, and</p><p> </p><p>(c) 362 legal instruments.</p><p> </p><p>These are shown by water company below and comprise drinking water quality Legal Instruments (Notices), Final Enforcement Orders, Regulation 15 Notices for new sources, Radioactivity notices (waivers), Network and Information Systems (NIS) notices, Security and Emergency Direction (SEMD) notices, and notices for Price Review 2024 for water quality, NIS and SEMD. (They include the PR24 schemes that have been served to date which are most of the lead reduction schemes but no PFAS as yet, as the process is ongoing).</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p>Legal instruments</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021</p></td><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>2023</p></td><td><p>2024 (inc PR24)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Affinity Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Albion Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Albion Water Eco</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Anglian Water Services Ltd</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bristol Water Plc</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ESP Water</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hafren Dyfrdwy</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Icosa Water</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Independent Water Networks Ltd</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Leep Networks (Water) Ltd</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Portsmouth Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>SES Water</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South East Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Southern Water Services Ltd</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South Staffordshire Water and Cambridge Water PLC</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Severn Trent Water Ltd</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South West and Bournemouth Water Ltd (incl Isles of Scilly)</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thames Water Utilities Ltd</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>United Utilities Water PLC</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Veolia Water Projects Ltd</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wessex Water Services Ltd</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Yorkshire Water Services Ltd</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p>362</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 24/05/2024 13:36:33 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1719630

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Hornets
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 17 May 2024 to Question 25464, whether her Department has plans in place to move from a rapid response to a management phase for the Asian hornet, in the context of their growing presence in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	27314
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Asian hornet (<em>Vespa velutina</em>) is not currently considered established in the UK and therefore is still being addressed via rapid response measures. The Asian hornet <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalbeeunit.com%2Fassets%2FPDFs%2F2_Diseases_and_Pests%2FAsian-Hornet%2F2023-01-03_Asian_hornet_contingency_plan_Public_version_English-AC.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cc91427138ce5472f8db308dc7a47c122%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638519695828819352%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=rhuOR4NNosNv3Qhn3m4vTci7W9Vzl1TQlE%2FPtgF6jmM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">contingency plan</a> covers the action that will be taken against Asian hornets with the NBU responding to credible sightings to locate and destroy any nests.</p><p> </p><p>For a species to be considered established, there should be evidence of a reproducing population having been present in the wild for a significant number of generations, that is considered viable in the long term without any human intervention. Whilst there has been presence of overwintered hornets produced from a nest found and destroyed late last year, it is not considered to be strong evidence of an established population.</p><p> </p><p>Defra will continue to follow an eradication strategy against Asian hornets until this becomes unviable at which point a change in approach will be required.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 23/05/2024 14:27:13 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

1719725

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Plants: Weed 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, with reference to SB6 of the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (Rhododendron Control), how many agreements have been reached to date; how many hectares are covered by those agreements; and how many hectares has rhododendron successfully been removed from.
tabling member constituency	South West Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Andrew Selous
uin	27301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p><em>Rhododendron ponticum</em> is one of the most damaging invasive plants in the UK; it prevents woodland regeneration and destroys the natural understorey which has consequent impacts on birds and invertebrates. Countryside Stewardship (CS) option SB6 supports the control of rhododendrons, reducing the negative effect this can have on a site.</p><p> </p><p>There are 487 CS agreements containing SB6, which cover a total of 2,615 hectares. SB6 is a CS capital item and can only be claimed once the work has been completed, to date 1,462 hectares of Rhododendrons have been removed.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the existing SB6 capital item, we will be introducing a revenue item later this year to support continued control of rhododendron once initial control has been undertaken. Some further information can be found within <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fagricultural-transition-plan-2021-to-2024%2Ftechnical-annex-the-combined-environmental-land-management-offer&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C939cdd0de21d4f1ce48708dc7b29a670%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638520666026085447%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=toPYy9X0UcJY8xp4kgKUlH%2FitePEO3jyK%2FX8IJuTVSg%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Technical annex: The combined environmental land management offer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 24/05/2024 09:56:32 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous

1719727

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Plants: Weed 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, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the SB6 Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier grant for rhododendron control.
tabling member constituency	South West Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Andrew Selous
uin	27302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>We are committed to reviewing all actions in Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive, on a phased basis over time. As part of the reviews, we will take into account comments from farmers and stakeholders and ensure guidance is appropriate.</p><p> </p><p><em>Rhododendron ponticum</em> is one of the most damaging invasive plants in the UK; it prevents woodland regeneration and destroys the natural understorey which has consequent impacts on birds and invertebrates. In addition to the existing SB6 capital item, we will be introducing a revenue item later this year to support continued control of rhododendron once initial control has been undertaken.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 24/05/2024 09:52:54 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous

1719821

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Southern Water: Standards
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 undertake an environmental impact assessment of Southern Water’s decision to respond to increased rainfall by improving surface water drainage.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	27503
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>The Environment Agency continues to liaise with Southern Water to implement Pathfinder projects in Whitstable, Margate and Deal, in order to reduce surface water inputs to Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) during heavy rainfall. These catchments are affected by hydraulic overload from groundwater infiltration into sewers, leading to the WWTW becoming overloaded and therefore subject to additional sewage spills to the environment. Measures taken by the Pathfinder project to slow rainfall ingress into groundwater have already led to reductions in spill numbers and works are continuing to reduce total spill numbers further. The Environment Agency also inputs to Drainage and Waste Water Management Plans to ensure future integrated planning is in place.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 24/05/2024 13:32:32 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1719822

registered interest
date	21/05/2024
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	Southern Water: 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, if he will undertake an environmental impact assessment of Southern Waters policy on sewage discharges into (a) Langstone Harbour and (b) the Solent.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	27504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>Sewage discharges by Southern Water into Langstone Harbour and the Solent are permitted by the Environment Agency. The limits on these permits are informed by environmental impact assessments. If the Environment Agency finds any company breaching the conditions of their permits, they will take action, up to and including prosecution.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan is driving £60bn between now and 2050 to reduce the use of storm overflows, including those discharging into the Solent and Langstone Harbour.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 24/05/2024 13:32:39 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1719204

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
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	Hedges and Ditches: Countryside Stewardship Scheme
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 adequacy of his Department's guidance on hedge laying; and if he will include roadside hedges in the Countryside Stewardship grant BN5: Hedgerow laying.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Sir Bill Wiggin
uin	26967
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>Under action BN5, support is available to farmers to lay roadside hedgerows where the farmer has management control of both sides of the hedgerow. In January we set out a commitment to introduce a cycle of reviews for scheme actions from 2025, which will include BN5. The current guidance is clear and as part of the cycle of reviews, we will assess the suitability of the guidance, including taking into account any farmer or stakeholder feedback we receive.</p><p> </p><p>We will be publishing voluntary guidance to support the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer in the summer.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 24/05/2024 07:01:55 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin