1. The Environment Agency is constructing a permanent scheme to replace temporary defences. Steps are being taken so that protection is maintained should there be an increased flood risk during construction.<\/p>
<\/p>
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<\/p>
2. Demountable defences were considered as an option. However, after consulting local residents the Environment Agency took the decision to construct a permanent solution.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord De Mauley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-30T14:33:05.4841907Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Floods: Somerset"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what is their assessment of (1) the feasibility of constructing a permanent flood defence barrage to protect the village of Westonzoyland in the Somerset Levels, and (2) the likely effectiveness of temporary demountable flood defences in the coming winter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"} ], "uin" : "HL2284"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002202", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002202/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises that there have been declines in species populations across the world since 1970 and that declines have been pronounced in many tropical ecosystems. This downward trend and the impact it has on peoples\u2019 economic and social wellbeing highlights the need to strengthen international efforts to tackle biodiversity loss.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government is committed to being the first generation to leave our environment in a better state than we found it. We are already working worldwide, including in the tropics, to tackle biodiversity loss, by:<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Investing more than £36 million between 2014 and 2021 to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, and hosting the fourth international Illegal Wildlife Trade conference last month in London. The conference represented a significant step forward in the global fight to eliminate this trade;<\/p><\/li>
Committing £210 million of Defra\u2019s International Climate Finance to support projects that aim to protect and restore more than 500,000 hectares of the world\u2019s most biodiverse forests. For example, we are supporting communities in Madagascar to protect mangrove forests, which are important habitats for the protection of many species, some of which are found nowhere else on earth;<\/p><\/li>
Ambitious plans under the Government\u2019s 25 Year Environment Plan to reverse the decline of many species and help wildlife survive and thrive. We are committed to protecting the oceans, and have called for at least 30 per cent of the oceans to be in Marine Protected Areas by 2030. The UK is also leading the fight against plastic pollution; and<\/p><\/li>
Introducing one of the world\u2019s toughest bans on ivory sales to protect the elephant.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
We are also committed to developing an ambitious post-2020 strategic framework for biodiversity and are working with countries around the world to achieve this under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-13T14:56:26.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Biodiversity"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings in the Living Planet Report 2018, published by the World Wildlife Fund and Zoological Society of London, that (1) there has been a decline of 60 per cent in species population sizes between 1970 and 2014, and (2) species population declines are especially pronounced in the tropics; and what strategy, if any, they have to address these findings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL11223"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002212", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002212/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/p>
Defra does not hold the statistics required to answer this question. Overseas trade commodity data collected by HMRC does not include any details of where products are manufactured, or of any intermediate manufacturing processes.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:48:22.713Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Imports"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the UK total food import expenditure is made up of items (1) finished in the EU, and (2) part-finished in the EU, which could be finished in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Byford"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Byford"}
], "uin" : "HL11233"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002214", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002214/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Natural England is the statutory nature conservation body in England.<\/p>
<\/p>
There are currently 224 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in England, with an approximate area of 94,000 hectares. Natural England manages in whole or in part 143 NNRs, with a total area of approximately 65,000 hectares. Of these, Natural England owns about 20,000 hectares, leases about 30,000 hectares, and manages about 15,000 hectares under Nature Reserve Agreements. The remainder are managed by 53 'Approved Bodies' (organisations approved by Natural England to manage NNRs under Section 35 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Almost all NNRs are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) (over 99% by area) and 84% is designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA), or both.<\/p>
<\/p>
Defra does not hold information on individual land ownership outside the government estate, although many environmental non-government organisations are open about the size of their land holdings. For example, the National Trust and the RSPB, both of whom own significant area of land, publish data and maps of their reserve boundaries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/p>
<\/p>
The public forest estate in England, which is managed by Forest Enterprise England (an executive agency sponsored by the Forestry Commission), covers over 250,000 hectares and is managed for multiple purposes, including conservation.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T14:41:07.893Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nature Conservation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what acreage of land in England is owned by conservation bodies; and which bodies own such acreage.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Byford"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Byford"} ], "uin" : "HL11235"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002238", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002238/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The summary of the responses to the consultation on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill, including the government's next steps, was published on 7 August 2018 at the following link:<\/p>
<\/p>