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1310965

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Territorial Waters
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which coastal waters have been re-designated as Class A waters from Class B waters.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	185474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently undertaken a review of <em>E.coli</em> testing data for Class B shellfish harvesting areas in England and Wales, which identified eleven new areas that meet the requirements for seasonal Class A classification for at least five months of the year. This includes shellfish waters in Kent, Essex, Dorset, Cornwall and Northumberland. Further details of the locations of these waters can be found on the FSA’s website at:</p><p><a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/classification-list-1-april-2021_0.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/classification-list-1-april-2021_0.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2021 15:27:46 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1310966

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Territorial Waters
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 the reclassification of coastal waters as Class A waters from Class B waters was explicitly requested by Government Ministers or reclassified as a result of a routine review.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	185475
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>Defra has worked at pace with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) over the past few months to explore the potential for re-classification of harvesting areas on a seasonal basis where supported by the testing data, to enable more businesses to export live bivalve molluscs to the EU from Class A waters. Existing procedures allow local authorities and harvesters to request a review of shellfish waters. The FSA has additionally revised its procedures so that it will proactively consider seasonal classifications. The outcome of this review was reflected in the classifications listing published on 31 March 2021 on the FSA’s website at:</p><p><a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/classification-list-1-april-2021_0.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/classification-list-1-april-2021_0.pdf</a>.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 29/04/2021 11:50:28 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1310967

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 22 March 2021 from the hon. Member for Blackburn on the abandoned waste programme.
tabling member constituency	Blackburn
tabling member printed	Kate Hollern
uin	185390
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer // answer text <p>The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered // answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4363 label Biography information for Kate Hollern

1310989

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Trapping
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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning the use of snares in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	185443
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>We are aware of the concerns around the use of snares, which can cause immense suffering to both target and non-target animals. It is an issue we are looking at closely as part of our continued drive to maintain the highest animal welfare standards in the world.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone using snares has a responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to act within the law to ensure their activities do not harm protected species or cause any unnecessary suffering.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has no current plans to ban the use of all animal snares. Snares are controlled in England and Wales under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This already prohibits the use of self-locking snares and the setting of any type of snare in places where they are likely to catch certain non-target animals such as badgers. It also requires snares to be inspected on a daily basis.</p><p> </p><p>When practised to a high standard, and in accordance with the law, snaring can offer an effective means to reduce the harmful impacts of foxes on livestock, game and wildlife.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>The code of practice for the use of snares to control foxes in England can be found at <a href="https://basc.org.uk/cop/snares-for-fox-control-in-england/" target="_blank">https://basc.org.uk/cop/snares-for-fox-control-in-england/</a>. This code is designed and owned by the sector, rather than Government. It sets out clear principles for the legal and humane use of snares, using evidence from snare use research to improve snare deployment and design.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 26/04/2021 13:48:12 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1311006

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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 Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011
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 15 January 2021 to Question UIN 132840, what steps have been taken since the response to that question to seek views on making separate regulations in relation to private waste-water pumps similar to the Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011 concerning the adoption of those assets by sewerage companies; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure publication of that consultation.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	185334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>Since my Answer of 15 January 2021 to PQ 132840, my officials have established the timeline for taking forward the work to seek to implement Section 42 and to consider the question of supplementary regulations to adopt existing sewerage assets, such as private wastewater pumps, constructed since 2 July 2011.</p><p> </p><p>We will be engaging with key stakeholders from May 2021. This will enable us to develop possible policy options with the necessary public consultation on those options and our assessment of costs and benefits for early 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The consultation will be public and will be available on Citizen Space.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 29/04/2021 14:26:16 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

1311008

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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 Wye: Phosphates
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 tackle phosphate pollution in the River Wye.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
uin	185296
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>Defra is committed to improving our water environment and reducing the impact of excess nutrients, including on the River Wye.</p><p> </p><p>Natural England, the Environment Agency and other partners, including Natural Resources Wales, have been working together through a Nutrient Management Board to find effective solutions and document these through an action plan which is currently being drafted. This will identify measures needed to both restore the site to favourable condition and seek to create capacity for development, without harming the natural environment.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, since 2016 the Environment Agency has been undertaking a significant amount of agricultural compliance and regulatory activity using satellite technology to identify and target locations at high risk of contributing to nutrient and soil pollution. This has been backed up by an extensive programme of advisory and support work delivered by Catchment Sensitive Farming and catchment partners such as the Wye and Usk Foundation and Herefordshire Wildlife Trust to improve agriculture sources of pollution to the River Wye.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, there is work underway to tackle phosphate pollution from waste water treatment in the River Wye through catchment partnerships. The Nutrient Management Board, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and the recently announced Storm Overflows Task Force will seek to make further improvements in this space.</p><p> </p><p>I accept that there is more to be done. As this is a devolved matter I, and officials in my department, remain engaged with our Welsh counterparts to align efforts on cross-border pollution issues and monitor progress closely.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 185308 question first answered 26/04/2021 13:27:53 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1311011

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Phosphates: Pollution
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 his Department has to prevent the movement of phosphates between catchment areas.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
uin	185297
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>Defra is committed to tackling the harm caused from waste material spread to land as fertiliser where this is not applied in accordance with good agricultural practice. There are currently no plans to regulate the movement of phosphate-rich material between catchment areas. However, the Farming Rules for Water regulations require spreading to land in England to be done in ways that manage the risk of diffuse pollution and any spreading of this material must be planned in line with soil and crop need.</p><p> </p><p>On the moving of resulting digestate from anaerobic digestion plants, while there is no prohibition on movement of digestate between catchments, its application is regulated by the Farming Rules for Water and, where applicable, the Nitrates Pollution Prevention Regulations in England. The Environment Agency has reviewed the data information on the digestate market place and volumes of digestate currently and has put measures such as increasing reporting and surveillance on permitted sites and requiring the permitted site to demonstrate contingency plans where they may not be able to use or deploy digestate (where doing so would breach regulations). The Environment Agency is also undertaking a review of the anaerobic digestate quality protocol which is considering land pressures and the future market for digestate.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working across Government on further policy solutions to existing issues with digestate spreading, including its impact on air and water quality.</p><p> </p><p>I accept that there is more to be done. As this is a devolved matter, I, and officials in my department, remain engaged with our Welsh counterparts to align efforts on cross-border pollution issues and monitor progress closely.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 26/04/2021 13:11:54 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1311012

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Nitrates: Gloucestershire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when steps Natural England is taking to enforce the European Court of Justice's Dutch nitrate ruling in Gloucestershire.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
uin	185298
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>I have been informed by Natural England that the section of the River Wye in Gloucestershire is not in unfavourable condition and therefore the implications of the ruling in the Dutch Nitrogen case do not currently apply in this area. However, we are working across Government to address the issues arising out of the ruling and the subsequent requirement for development to achieve ‘nutrient neutrality.’</p><p> </p><p>I co-chair a Task-force with Minister Pincher bringing together Defra, MHCLG, Natural England and Environment Agency officials to develop a clear action plan to tackle the issue. The aim of this group is to both ensure housebuilding can proceed near our most important protected areas whilst not negatively contributing to their condition, and develop long term solutions to the underlying issue of the condition of protected sites such as the River Wye/Lugg.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, Herefordshire Council has developed its wetlands scheme and is commissioning the drafting of an ‘Interim Delivery Plan’ which includes a Phosphate Calculator, with advice from Natural England. This will assist in the development of mitigation options in catchment. Similar schemes are underway at other currently affected sites and are moving forward, such as agreed mitigation being in place for the River Avon SAC.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, Natural England’s guidance to local authorities is being updated and they are working closely in catchments such as that of the River Wye and Lugg to share details of this ongoing work. We will continue to support developers and local authorities to meet the requirement for nutrient neutrality. We are also working to identify strategic actions to improve the overall condition of the sites and bring them back into a favourable condition.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, this will include working with Welsh Government and their agencies. I have written to the Welsh Government Minister for the Environment to signal the need to work closely on this issue. Natural England and the Environment Agency, together with Natural Resources Wales and Herefordshire Council, will continue to work together to identify the measures to restore the site to favourable condition, and on creating capacity for development.</p><p> </p><p>The requirement for nutrient neutrality will not affect current levels of Phosphate discharge to the river but it will avoid any further deterioration caused by additional nutrient pollution from waste water at these sites. The Nutrient Neutral approach, once mitigation has been agreed at particular sites, will allow for housebuilding to resume without causing this additional deterioration. There is a national programme under the Water Framework Directive for monitoring the status of rivers and we will continue to assess whether the site is moving toward good ecological status.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 185299 185300 185301 question first answered 26/04/2021 13:07:57 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1311013

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Rivers: Pollution
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 discussions his Department has had with Natural England on the adequacy of their guidance to local authorities on river pollution.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
uin	185299
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>I have been informed by Natural England that the section of the River Wye in Gloucestershire is not in unfavourable condition and therefore the implications of the ruling in the Dutch Nitrogen case do not currently apply in this area. However, we are working across Government to address the issues arising out of the ruling and the subsequent requirement for development to achieve ‘nutrient neutrality.’</p><p> </p><p>I co-chair a Task-force with Minister Pincher bringing together Defra, MHCLG, Natural England and Environment Agency officials to develop a clear action plan to tackle the issue. The aim of this group is to both ensure housebuilding can proceed near our most important protected areas whilst not negatively contributing to their condition, and develop long term solutions to the underlying issue of the condition of protected sites such as the River Wye/Lugg.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, Herefordshire Council has developed its wetlands scheme and is commissioning the drafting of an ‘Interim Delivery Plan’ which includes a Phosphate Calculator, with advice from Natural England. This will assist in the development of mitigation options in catchment. Similar schemes are underway at other currently affected sites and are moving forward, such as agreed mitigation being in place for the River Avon SAC.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, Natural England’s guidance to local authorities is being updated and they are working closely in catchments such as that of the River Wye and Lugg to share details of this ongoing work. We will continue to support developers and local authorities to meet the requirement for nutrient neutrality. We are also working to identify strategic actions to improve the overall condition of the sites and bring them back into a favourable condition.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, this will include working with Welsh Government and their agencies. I have written to the Welsh Government Minister for the Environment to signal the need to work closely on this issue. Natural England and the Environment Agency, together with Natural Resources Wales and Herefordshire Council, will continue to work together to identify the measures to restore the site to favourable condition, and on creating capacity for development.</p><p> </p><p>The requirement for nutrient neutrality will not affect current levels of Phosphate discharge to the river but it will avoid any further deterioration caused by additional nutrient pollution from waste water at these sites. The Nutrient Neutral approach, once mitigation has been agreed at particular sites, will allow for housebuilding to resume without causing this additional deterioration. There is a national programme under the Water Framework Directive for monitoring the status of rivers and we will continue to assess whether the site is moving toward good ecological status.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 185298 185300 185301 question first answered 26/04/2021 13:07:57 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

1311014

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
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	Rivers: Pollution
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 discussions his Department has had with the (a) Welsh Government and (b) Natural Resources Wales on their guidance to local authorities on river pollution.
tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
uin	185300
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>I have been informed by Natural England that the section of the River Wye in Gloucestershire is not in unfavourable condition and therefore the implications of the ruling in the Dutch Nitrogen case do not currently apply in this area. However, we are working across Government to address the issues arising out of the ruling and the subsequent requirement for development to achieve ‘nutrient neutrality.’</p><p> </p><p>I co-chair a Task-force with Minister Pincher bringing together Defra, MHCLG, Natural England and Environment Agency officials to develop a clear action plan to tackle the issue. The aim of this group is to both ensure housebuilding can proceed near our most important protected areas whilst not negatively contributing to their condition, and develop long term solutions to the underlying issue of the condition of protected sites such as the River Wye/Lugg.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, Herefordshire Council has developed its wetlands scheme and is commissioning the drafting of an ‘Interim Delivery Plan’ which includes a Phosphate Calculator, with advice from Natural England. This will assist in the development of mitigation options in catchment. Similar schemes are underway at other currently affected sites and are moving forward, such as agreed mitigation being in place for the River Avon SAC.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, Natural England’s guidance to local authorities is being updated and they are working closely in catchments such as that of the River Wye and Lugg to share details of this ongoing work. We will continue to support developers and local authorities to meet the requirement for nutrient neutrality. We are also working to identify strategic actions to improve the overall condition of the sites and bring them back into a favourable condition.</p><p> </p><p>In Herefordshire, this will include working with Welsh Government and their agencies. I have written to the Welsh Government Minister for the Environment to signal the need to work closely on this issue. Natural England and the Environment Agency, together with Natural Resources Wales and Herefordshire Council, will continue to work together to identify the measures to restore the site to favourable condition, and on creating capacity for development.</p><p> </p><p>The requirement for nutrient neutrality will not affect current levels of Phosphate discharge to the river but it will avoid any further deterioration caused by additional nutrient pollution from waste water at these sites. The Nutrient Neutral approach, once mitigation has been agreed at particular sites, will allow for housebuilding to resume without causing this additional deterioration. There is a national programme under the Water Framework Directive for monitoring the status of rivers and we will continue to assess whether the site is moving toward good ecological status.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow grouped question UIN 185298 185299 185301 question first answered 26/04/2021 13:07:57 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin