Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>Our Resources and Waste Strategy sets out actions we are taking, including a ban on the sale and/or supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds by April 2020. We are leading global efforts through the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, which we support with a package worth up to £70m. We also work with the International Maritime Organisation to tackle litter from ships and are helping shape a new international action plan on shipping litter.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-25false2019-07-25T15:55:53.88Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-25Seas and Oceans: Pollution Control1House of CommonsWhat steps he is taking to tackle marine pollution.falseAberdeen SouthRoss Thomson912200Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>£4.7 million of grant funding was announced on 12 June and made available through the Waste & Resources Action Programme, to support new capital infrastructure projects that will help to recycle difficult plastic packaging and textile materials.</p><p> </p><p>The Government also incentivises business-led technology innovation through Innovate UK and its role to fund business-led innovation through the allocation of competitively awarded grants. This fund has previously supported chemicals recycling projects. Further details on Innovate UK are available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/innovate-uk" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/innovate-uk</a>.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-23false2019-07-23T15:51:05.69Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-18Plastics: Recycling1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase support for catalytic chemical recycling and upcycling to realise the ambition of zero plastic waste.falseNewcastle-under-LymePaul Farrelly278919Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered to EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. In such a scenario, the UK system that we will put in place (UK REACH) will retain the ‘last resort principle’ – that companies can only use animal testing as a last resort.</p><p> </p><p>We have also ensured that under UK REACH the information requirements would be the same as under EU REACH. Businesses will therefore be able to confirm their registrations by submitting the same technical information that was required by EU REACH.</p><p> </p><p> </p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-23false2019-07-23T15:42:32.417Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-18Animal Experiments1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is no duplication of animal testing for chemical registrations in the event that the UK leaves the EU without an agreement.falseBristol EastKerry McCarthy278930Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<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>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-22false2019-07-22T16:47:54.147Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-17Eutrophication1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help local authorities tackle eutrophication.falsePortsmouth SouthStephen Morgan278586Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>This is already part of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-22false2019-07-22T16:44:08.427Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-17Wildlife: Conservation1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the creation of national recovery network maps to identify (a) the location of wildlife and (b) where wildlife should be in the future.falseNewcastle-under-LymePaul Farrelly278400Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>Our assessments of emissions of pollutants from domestic combustion sources use a range of data which are based on established international reporting. These use different conversion factors for different fuels but do not distinguish between different types of PM2.5.</p><p> </p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-23false2019-07-23T17:17:45.023Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-16Solid Fuels: Heating1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood in England, what different types of PM2.5s released when burning (a) smokeless briquettes, (b) wet wood, (c) dried wood and (d) house coal on open domestic fires in England his Department is assessing; and if he will make a statement.falseKilmarnock and LoudounAlan Brown277779Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is the lead Government department on fire safety regulations and has responsibility for product safety.</p><p> </p><p>Defra’s Air Quality division has not made any assessment of the potential benefits to air quality of introducing fire toxicity assessments to fire safety tests of upholstered goods and construction materials.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-22false2019-07-22T14:37:22.367Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-16Construction and Furniture: Health Hazards1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to air quality of introducing fire toxicity assessments to fire safety tests of upholstered goods and construction materials.falseCoventry SouthMr Jim Cunningham277635Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>We are taking action to encourage wildflower meadows by managing designated sites, providing incentives for habitat management and creation, and forging strong partnerships with landowners, communities and conservation bodies.</p><p> </p><p>Our agri-environment schemes provide incentives for creation and management of wildlife-rich habitat, including meadows. Since 2011, we have initiated creation of over 130,000 hectares of wildlife rich habitat, including wildflower meadows. Our new Environmental Land Management scheme will reward farmers and land managers for delivering environmental outcomes such as conserving and restoring such habitats.</p><p> </p><p>Our Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) provide protection for approximately two thirds of the total extent of 110,000 ha of semi-natural grassland Priority Habitat in England. Natural England’s 2018-19 SSSI designation programme identifies a further 12 sites containing important wildflower-rich grasslands. The 25 Year Environment Plan commits us to restoring 75% of SSSI areas to good condition.</p><p> </p><p>We work with partners to support the recovery of threatened species and their habitats. For example, Natural England are working with landowners and conservation organisations on the Back from the Brink programme including on the ‘Limestone’s Living Legacies’ project, restoring a network of limestone grassland sites in the West Midlands.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-18false2019-07-18T14:37:58.33Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-15Flowers: Conservation1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage wildflower meadows throughout the country.falseWycombeMr Steve Baker277176Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>Wildflowers provide pollen and nectar resources essential for sustaining wild and honey bees. Wildflower meadows therefore provide vital habitats for bee populations.</p><p> </p><p>Published scientific research has established that range contractions in many of our bee species are linked to the loss of species-rich habitats such as wildflower meadows. It also found that bee populations are more diverse on farms where wildflowers are sown or in landscapes with greater densities of wildflower meadows and other species-rich habitats.</p><p> </p><p>We also know that when we put wildflowers back, bees respond. Landscape-scale studies of wild bumblebee populations in farmed landscapes, led by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and part-funded by Defra, revealed that providing flower-rich habitat enhances the long-term survival of bumblebee families.</p><p> </p><p>Through our programme of agri-environment monitoring, we are currently evaluating how sowing wildflowers on farms is supporting bee populations.</p><p> </p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-18false2019-07-18T16:38:58.607Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-15Flowers: Conservation1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the contribution of wildflower meadows to the success of the various bee populations in the UK.falseWycombeMr Steve Baker277177Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<p>Last December Defra and the Department for Transport (DfT) held a joint roundtable on rural bus services with a wide range of key stakeholders, exploring the issues and potential solutions for providing effective bus services in rural communities.</p><p> </p><p>The new Community Rail Development Strategy, published in November 2018, looks for ways to make it easier for the rail industry and local community rail partnerships to improve services and stations on local branch lines. Defra worked with DfT on the draft strategy and the consultation process on the strategy prior to its launch.</p><p> </p><p>The Government published its Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy in March and will be setting out thinking on the future of rural mobility in due course, to explore how the benefits of transport innovation can be enjoyed by everyone, wherever they live.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s ambitions for the Oxford Cambridge Arc recognise that it is an area of significant strength and opportunity. We recognise that a high-quality environment is key to achieving the ambition of a more productive and connected Arc and aim to meet our economic and housing ambitions while delivering on the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. Defra is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and DfT to create sustainable places for people and wildlife, to preserve the environment for future generations. Within the Arc, we are encouraging the constituent local authorities to be looking to develop local potential transport systems that provide convenient, clean, effective, accessible, inclusive, safe and active travel, with less congestion and better air quality.</p><p> </p><p>Oxford City Council has received £2,334,480, through the Clean Bus Technology Fund, run by Defra and DfT’s Joint Air Quality Unit. This will retrofit 115 buses across Oxford and Oxfordshire to Euro VI standard.</p>Suffolk CoastalDr Thérèse Coffey2019-07-23false2019-07-23T15:09:00.147Z13Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs2019-07-15Rural Areas: Public Transport1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Department for Transport on the environmentally-friendly expansion of rural public transport; and if he will make a statement.falseOxford West and AbingdonLayla Moran27728610012754