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1258432

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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	River Severn: Floods
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 that the implementation of flood defences down the River Severn will not cause further flooding; and what recent discussions he has had with local farmers on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Shrewsbury and Atcham
tabling member printed	Daniel Kawczynski
uin	125220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA), along with other members of the River Severn partnership, is investigating options to reduce overall flood risk and benefit communities along the River Severn, now and from the increasing risk of climate change. <br></p><p>The EA is also considering new approaches for managing the effects of too much and too little water, for example with the Severn Valley Water Management scheme, and land use practice in the upper catchment.</p><p> </p><p>The National Farmers Union (NFU) is one of the partners in the River Severn Partnership and has represented farmers in a number of meetings where projects have been discussed. On 1 December, the joint chairs of the River Severn Partnership (EA and Shropshire Council) met the NFU to hear members’ views and discuss the early options appraisal work for the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme and to discuss plans for future engagement and consultation with landowners.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 14/12/2020 13:57:04 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1566 label Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski

1258435

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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	River Severn: Floods
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 ensure the safety of residents in towns along the River Severn which are at risk of flooding during winter months.
tabling member constituency	Shrewsbury and Atcham
tabling member printed	Daniel Kawczynski
uin	125221
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>Over the winter of 2019-20 the River Severn catchment saw some of the highest river levels ever recorded. Unfortunately, 1,600 properties were flooded across the West Midlands. The Environment Agency's (EA) flood risk management assets prevented over 14,500 properties from flooding.</p><p> </p><p>Since the winter floods, the EA has been inspecting and repairing flood assets where necessary that were affected by significant flooding. Despite the challenges of Covid-19, the EA has continued to maintain its existing assets and has dedicated teams in place to operate them 24 hours a day. It is also making sure our rivers are clear from debris.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2020 budget, the Government announced a £120 million package to repair flood risk management assets damaged as a result of the winter floods. For the Severn corridor, the EA secured £4.2 million, covering 18 projects. Repair work to these assets is ongoing, but the defences will remain fully operational and will function as intended, including both demountable and temporary defences at a number of locations such as Shrewsbury and Ironbridge.</p><p> </p><p>The EA has also been carrying out incident response preparation and training to ensure we can respond to whatever weather comes our way.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 14/12/2020 13:59:18 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1566 label Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski

1258436

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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	Recreation Spaces
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 introducing legally binding targets on widespread access to nature and green space.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	125314
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2020 answer text <p>Defra is currently undertaking a number of measures to improve widespread access to nature and green space. The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our comprehensive and long-term approach to protecting and enhancing our natural landscapes in England for the next generation and to helping people improve their health and wellbeing by using green spaces. There is lots of work already ongoing to deliver on this approach, such as the National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards for England, the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, the Green Social Prescribing Project, the Children and Nature Programme, the financial provisions of the Agriculture Act 2020 through the Environmental Land Management scheme, the England Coast Path and a new northern National Trail based on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk.</p><p> </p><p>The Environment Bill will give the Secretary of State the power to set long-term, legally binding environmental targets across the breadth of the natural environment. It will specifically require the government to set at least one target each in four priority areas: air quality, biodiversity, water, and waste reduction and resource efficiency. The power to set targets will not be limited to these four priority areas. Long-term targets could be set in respect of any matter which relates to the natural environment, or people’s enjoyment of it, to drive significant improvement of the environment.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 09/12/2020 17:38:18 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1258450

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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	Transport: Refrigeration
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 November 2020 to Question 109136 on Transport: Refrigeration, who his Department has commissioned to conduct research on improving the evidence base on emissions from non-road mobile machinery emissions, including transport refrigeration units; what the (a) timeframe and (b) terms of reference is for that research; and if he will make a statemen.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	125269
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>In the Clean Air Strategy 2019, we committed to exploring further action to tackle non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) emissions in England. In September 2019, Defra commissioned Ricardo Energy &amp; Environment to conduct research to improve the evidence base on emissions from NRMM, including transport refrigeration units, and inform policy development.</p><p>Over the next few months, we will be engaging with stakeholders to discuss initial findings of the research. This exercise will help to ensure that we have a robust and accurate evidence base from which to consider policy options.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 14/12/2020 13:59:30 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1258451

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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 Charges: Coronavirus
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 effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the number of households in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England that have fallen into arrears with their water supplier; and what steps his Department is taking to protect vulnerable households in water arrears during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North East
tabling member printed	Colleen Fletcher
uin	125249
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2020 answer text <p>Regional water companies are regularly assessing the needs of their customers. Across England, all companies have measures in place for households who may struggle to pay their water bills, including the WaterSure, social tariffs and payment breaks. Water consumers are also protected from being disconnected from their water supply if they are unable to pay their bill.</p><p> </p><p>Feedback from companies to date has shown no significant impacts on the number of non-payments by households. This could be attributed to an initial increase in the take up of water support schemes, which may have reduced the risk of customers falling into long term arrears.</p><p> </p><p>It is too early to fully assess the impacts of COVID-19 on water bills as the impacts of general support is still being understood. However, we continue to work with the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), Ofwat and Water UK to monitor the industry’s regional and national response to Covid-19.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 09/12/2020 17:24:21 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4378 label Biography information for Colleen Fletcher

1258498

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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, on what dates he has had discussions with representatives of the Horticultural sector on requirements to facilitate the import of goods after the end of the transition period.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	125273
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>Defra officials have maintained regular engagement with the horticultural industry on post-transition period planning, both with individual operators and through key stakeholder groups. For instance, the Plant Health Advisory Forum, the Tree Health Policy Group and the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group, as well as frequent bilateral engagement with key stakeholders such as the Horticultural Trade Association, Fresh Produce Consortium, the National Farmers Union and the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association.</p><p>Most recently Defra has undertaken a series of feasibility sessions joined by more than 300 participants, describing in detail the end-to-end import process for plants and plant products into Great Britain from the European Union after the end of the Transition Period. The policy behind GB's post-Transition Period plant health regime and its implementation has been informed by the invaluable feedback received from stakeholders at these feasibility sessions, other events and regular conversations with industry groups.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 14/12/2020 15:38:28 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1258500

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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: 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 estimate he has made of the number of inspection agents required for the inspection of high priority plants imported from the EU from (a) 1 January 2021 and (b) 1 July 2021; how many trained and qualified agents are employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	125274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>GB plant health authorities have undertaken significant recruitment to increase the number of plant health inspectors in order to service the demand for import and export checks and certification. We will have sufficient resources to meet demand from 1 January 2021 when checks of high-priority plants from the EU begin, and July 2021 when we will have arrived at our end-state regime, to ensure minimal disruption to trade.</p><p>The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) delivers plant health services in England and Wales where the majority of additional inspectors will be required. APHA is well advanced in its recruitment of plant health inspectors, with nearly 200 new field and desk-based staff undergoing training in time for 1 January 2021.</p><p>Further recruitment campaigns are being progressed which would enable adaptation of the number plant health inspectors if volumes prove to be higher than anticipated. Additionally, Defra officials also have well developed contingency plans in place, which involve re-prioritisation of services and securing temporary resources to ensure no disruption to trade.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 14/12/2020 15:41:36 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1258501

registered interest
date	04/12/2020
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: 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 arrangements he has in place for the provision of plant passports for the movement of plants when the transition period ends on 31 December 2020.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	125275
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2020 answer text <p>Movements of plants which currently require a plant passport from the EU will need to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate after the end of the transition period. Further details on this change can be found here:</p><p><a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fimporting-and-exporting-plants-and-plant-products-from-1-january-2021&amp;data=04%7C01%7Cemma.pryor%40defra.gov.uk%7Ceb5440e61c7740cf65a308d89b9fd110%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C1%7C0%7C637430458000296637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=qRK5kceD5X8suqwEnvJ981hh4g2F%2Fckl9jYDz6UyT%2Fo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-and-exporting-plants-and-plant-products-from-1-january-2021</a>.</p><p>For internal GB movements, GB will continue to use a domestic plant passport system from 1 January 2021, which will be similar to the current EU plant passport system. The plant passport system is necessary to maintain traceability for internal movements of plants and ensure that operators who issue plant passports meet a minimum standard of plant health.</p><p>We have aimed to keep the domestic plant passport system similar to the current system to ease the burden on operators.</p><p>For example, imports from the EU will require a plant passport from the First Place of Destination; this is the same process as for imports from third countries now. Furthermore, existing authorisations to issue EU plant passports will roll over from 1 January 2021, and therefore there is no need for operators to fill out further forms for plant passporting if they are already authorised.</p><p>The vast majority of guidance regarding plant passports will remain the same, and movements of plants within GB which require a plant passport now will continue to require one after the transition period; therefore for most operators the post-transition domestic plant passport system should not present additional burden to the existing system.</p><p>Changes that will occur, for example the content and format of the new UK plant passport, have been communicated to industry to ensure they are ready for those changes.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 14/12/2020 11:50:31 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1258084

registered interest
date	03/12/2020
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	Chemicals: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What recent assessment the Government has made of the preparedness of (a) manufacturers and (b) importers for UK REACH requirements to complete Downstream User Import Notifications by October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	124863
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2020 answer text <p>The Downstream User Import Notification (DUIN) provision is intended to ensure continuity of supply chains and provide time for businesses to comply with their new obligations as an importer under UK REACH. The measure will apply only to existing GB downstream users or distributors under EU REACH who were, at any time in the two-year period before 1 January 2021, already a downstream user or distributor under EU REACH established in GB in relation to a substance (and who did not have an EU REACH registration).</p><p>We are also ensuring continuity through the transitional provisions enabling GB based manufacturers to carry over their existing EU held registrations ‘Grandfathered’ into UK REACH. This will give them automatic access to the GB market. Businesses benefitting from this will have 120 days from 1 January 2021 to provide some basic information about the registered chemical.</p><p>In September, we announced an extension to the deadline for the submission of DUINs from 180 to 300 days from 1 January 2021. As a result, GB downstream users will have the opportunity to assess how existing EU REACH registrants, that have been Grandfathered into the UK REACH system, have met the 120-day deadline and use it to inform their own process. This decision was taken following engagement with stakeholders to identify practical ideas on how we could help the industry make the transition from EU REACH to UK REACH.</p><p>We have published detailed guidance for chemical businesses so they know what actions they need to take. We have also been carrying out an extensive programme of business readiness activity, exploiting all of our networks across Government, trade associations and business representative organisations, to engage the hardest to reach areas of the sector on their new obligations and the steps they need to take to prepare. This includes direct correspondence sent to over 80,000 stakeholders within the chemicals industry and Defra policy officials speaking at over 450 stakeholder events over the last 18 months.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 11/12/2020 14:04:01 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1258161

registered interest
date	03/12/2020
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	Microplastics: Marine Environment
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 plans he has to prevent microplastics from tyre degradation from flowing into rivers and seas.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	124675
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2020 answer text <p>A Defra-funded study concluded that particles released from vehicle tyres during use could be a significant and previously unrecorded source of microplastics in the marine environment. This research advanced understanding of ways in which microplastics enter the marine environment and highlighted the complex problem of microplastic pollution to the marine environment from various sources and pathways.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport is currently commissioning research to better understand tyre and brake wear emissions from road vehicles. It is anticipated that the knowledge developed in this project will lay the foundation for improved ways to assess and control these emissions.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 11/12/2020 14:05:56 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman