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1132504

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	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: Schools
	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 discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on planting (a) grass, (b) trees and (c) plants in schools to help tackle air pollution.
	tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
	tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
	uin	265485
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministers across Government Departments about air pollution and how to reduce it. There remains a significant debate among experts about the efficacy of vegetation in reducing air pollution. Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group conclude that overall, vegetation and trees in particular are regarded as beneficial for the environment but they are not a solution to air quality problems in our cities and towns. The Government is giving priority to action on the multiple sources of pollutants, delivered through the Clean Air Strategy.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 20/06/2019 16:08:15 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

1137789

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	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: Kent
	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 improve air quality in (a) Medway, (b) Tonbridge and Malling and (c) Maidstone.
	tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
	tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
	uin	275174
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>Air pollution is reducing in the UK, as set out in the annual National Statistics report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>There are 169 national automatic monitoring stations in the UK, of which 2 stations are in Medway. Chatham Roadside measures hourly concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5); Rochester Stoke measures concentrations of ozone and sulphur dioxide in addition to these pollutants. Near real-time measurements from these sites and further data tools can be found on the UK-AIR website (<a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/</a>).</p><p> </p><p>There are no national automatic monitoring stations in Tonbridge and Malling or Maidstone.</p><p> </p><p>All local authorities also carry out their own air quality monitoring activities and produce annual status reports on air quality within the local authority boundaries.</p><p>Each of the local authorities has air quality management areas which can be found online at <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/aqma/maps" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/aqma/maps</a></p><p> </p><p>Councils have statutory duties to tackle air pollution and already have considerable powers.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions. The scheme has awarded over £60 million in funding to a variety of projects since it started in 1997 and over £3 million will be awarded this year.</p><p> </p><p>We will bring forward provisions on air quality in 2019 in the forthcoming Environment Bill.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 275175 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:54:18 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

1137790

	registered interest
	date	09/07/2019
	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: Kent
	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 air pollution levels in (a) Medway, (b) Tonbridge and Malling and (c) Maidstone.
	tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
	tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
	uin	275175
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>Air pollution is reducing in the UK, as set out in the annual National Statistics report:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>There are 169 national automatic monitoring stations in the UK, of which 2 stations are in Medway. Chatham Roadside measures hourly concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5); Rochester Stoke measures concentrations of ozone and sulphur dioxide in addition to these pollutants. Near real-time measurements from these sites and further data tools can be found on the UK-AIR website (<a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/</a>).</p><p> </p><p>There are no national automatic monitoring stations in Tonbridge and Malling or Maidstone.</p><p> </p><p>All local authorities also carry out their own air quality monitoring activities and produce annual status reports on air quality within the local authority boundaries.</p><p>Each of the local authorities has air quality management areas which can be found online at <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/aqma/maps" target="_blank">https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/aqma/maps</a></p><p> </p><p>Councils have statutory duties to tackle air pollution and already have considerable powers.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions. The scheme has awarded over £60 million in funding to a variety of projects since it started in 1997 and over £3 million will be awarded this year.</p><p> </p><p>We will bring forward provisions on air quality in 2019 in the forthcoming Environment Bill.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 275174 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:54:18 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

1138904

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2019
	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	Floods: House Insurance
	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 the Government has made of the increase in building and contents insurance premiums as a result of the increase in claims for flood damage; and what assessment he has made of the value for money to customers of those increases.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	277165
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has not made estimates of increased premiums. Insurance companies are private businesses that take into account a range of factors when setting their premiums and excess in household insurance policies.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Flood Re was launched in April 2016 and is designed to improve the availability and affordability of household insurance policies for people living in high flood risk areas.</p><p> </p><p>The premiums under Flood Re are set in legislation and vary by the council tax band of the property and have a fixed excess per claim. In January 2019 these were reduced for the majority of council tax bands.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 277166 question first answered 23/07/2019 15:56:53 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1138905

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2019
	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	Floods: House Insurance
	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 discussions the Government has had with the insurance industry on the increase in building and contents insurance premiums due to the increase in claims for flood damage.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	277166
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has not made estimates of increased premiums. Insurance companies are private businesses that take into account a range of factors when setting their premiums and excess in household insurance policies.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Flood Re was launched in April 2016 and is designed to improve the availability and affordability of household insurance policies for people living in high flood risk areas.</p><p> </p><p>The premiums under Flood Re are set in legislation and vary by the council tax band of the property and have a fixed excess per claim. In January 2019 these were reduced for the majority of council tax bands.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 277165 question first answered 23/07/2019 15:56:53 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

1134439

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	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	Hedgehogs: 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, what assessment there has been of the risk that A24 traps pose to hedgehog populations.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	269077
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The A24 trap is not approved for trapping hedgehogs. We are confident that hedgehogs can be effectively and safely excluded from the Goodnature A24 trap when it is set according to manufacturer’s instructions and, as is required by law, an excluder tunnel is used. We are also not aware of any evidence which suggests the A24 trap or the excluder tunnel has any impact on hedgehogs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 03/07/2019 12:00:55 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1135766

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Housing: Construction
	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 reduce the effect of house building on (a) air and (b) soil pollution.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	271448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is responsible for the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied. Defra works with MHCLG to ensure policies relating to air quality management are embedded in their National Planning Policy Framework. We are exploring options to address emissions from construction materials as announced in the Clean Air Strategy.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s Construction Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soil on Construction Sites is a practical guide to assist anyone involved in the construction industry to protect the soil resources with which they work. The Environment Agency have published a guide Land contamination: risk management that can be used in the in the planning regime to ensure existing land contamination is dealt with appropriately during the development process.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 10/07/2019 13:41:49 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1135771

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Barbecues
	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 his Department plans to ban disposable barbecues.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	271453
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>We have not made an assessment of the impact of disposable barbecues on the environment, nor do we have plans to ban them.</p><p>The Government is working to raise awareness of the impacts of domestic burning and has produced guidance which also asks people to be considerate towards others when using barbecues. The guidance can be found here: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1901291307_Ready_to_Burn_Web.pdf.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 271480 question first answered 10/07/2019 12:59:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1135838

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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	Barbecues
	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 made a recent assessment of the effect on the environment of the use of disposable barbecues; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	uin	271480
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>We have not made an assessment of the impact of disposable barbecues on the environment, nor do we have plans to ban them.</p><p>The Government is working to raise awareness of the impacts of domestic burning and has produced guidance which also asks people to be considerate towards others when using barbecues. The guidance can be found here: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1901291307_Ready_to_Burn_Web.pdf.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey grouped question UIN 271453 question first answered 10/07/2019 12:59:13 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1139779

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2019
	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	Eutrophication
	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 help local authorities tackle eutrophication.
	tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
	tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
	uin	278586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>Local planning authorities are supported by the responses of regulators the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England as statutory consultees in the planning process. <br> <br> The EA undertakes further duties as a regulator by controlling the quantity of nutrients from Sewage Treatment Works to water bodies through the Environmental Permitting Regulations.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 22/07/2019 16:47:54 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan