Through our agri-environment schemes we encourage farmers and land managers to look after and manage their local environments. These agreements support a number of management actions, including bracken control. Currently 881 agreements specifically include action that helps control bracken. This covers 16,527 hectares of land.<\/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" : "2017-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-20T11:24:38.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bracken"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to achieve a reduction in the amount of open countryside covered by bracken.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2569", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Greaves"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Greaves"} ], "uin" : "HL2999"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785859", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785859/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Woodland and hedgerows make an important contribution to sustainable farming. Woodland mitigates climate change, supports biodiversity, improves soil quality, prevents flooding and provides a shelterbelt for farm land. Hedgerows help enhance biodiversity and prevent soil erosion and run-off from fields, provide shelter, control livestock, and protect crops from the wind. They help define the character of the English landscape and many have historical significance as they mark ancient boundaries.<\/p>
<\/p>
English farmers can create woodland, plant trees and manage hedgerows with Rural Development Programme funding from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Funding through Rural Development Programmes between 2007 and 2017 has created over 18,500 hectares of woodland and nearly 6,000 kilometres of new hedgerows.<\/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" : "2017-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-20T11:24:03.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Sustainable Development"} , "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 contribution made by woodland creation and hedgerow planting to sustainable farming.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4303", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Kennedy of Cradley"} ], "uin" : "HL3007"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785867", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785867/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We do not hold details of the amount of food waste that goes to landfill, however the levels of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill, which includes food waste, has continued to reduce and in 2015 was 7.7 million tonnes.<\/p>
<\/p>
Local authorities play an important role in helping people reduce household food waste, and identifying the business opportunities within a more efficient and circular economy in their area. Local authorities representing more than 42% of the UK\u2019s population are currently signatories to the Courtauld Commitment 2025, which includes a target to reduce UK per capital food waste by 20%. Reductions in food waste arisings offers a significant reduction in waste collection and disposal costs for authorities, as well as savings for households.<\/p>
<\/p>
Half of local authorities in England offer a kerbside collection service for food waste, which will be sent either to in-vessel composting or anaerobic digestion. In-vessel composting and anaerobic digestion provide significant carbon saving over sending food waste to landfill. In 2015 WRAP published a review of the effectiveness of measures to increase food waste collection and updated guidance on measures local authorities could take to increase capture of food waste.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government is committed to reducing the diversion of food waste to landfill and in the Clean Growth Strategy we announced a target of working towards no food waste entering landfill by 2030. Further details on this will be published in the Resources and Waste Strategy in 2018.<\/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" : "2017-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-20T11:21:31.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Waste"} , "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 local government schemes to manage food waste and reduce the amount that goes into landfill.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} ], "uin" : "HL3015"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785868", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/785868/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Between 1997 and 2000 inclusive, the limit value for hourly mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide was 200 µg/m3<\/sup> and could only be exceeded for two percent of the calendar year for any monitoring site. This limit was determined by the Council Directive on air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide (85/203/EEC). All air quality monitoring sites for nitrogen dioxide were compliant with the limit value between 1997 and 2000.<\/p> <\/p> Under the First Daughter Directive (1999/30/EC) and Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC), the limit value for hourly mean nitrogen dioxide concentrations is 200 µg/m3<\/sup> and Member States are allowed to exceed this limit for a maximum of 18 hours per calendar year. The monitoring sites with the greatest number of hours in exceedance of this limit by year are displayed in the table below (site measurements are available on the UK-AIR website):<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Assessment area<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Monitoring site<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Hours with NO2<\/sub> concentration > 200 µgm-3<\/sup><\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2001<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 60<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2002<\/p><\/td> Glasgow Urban Area<\/p><\/td> Glasgow Kerbside<\/p><\/td> 38<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2003<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 471<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2004<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 542<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2005<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 853<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2006<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 686<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2007<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 458<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2008<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 822<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2009<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 486<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2010<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 539<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2011<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 229<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 132<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2013<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 60<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2014<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> London Marylebone Road<\/p><\/td> 60<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015<\/p><\/td> South Wales<\/p><\/td> Hafod-yr-ynys Roadside<\/p><\/td> 108<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2016<\/p><\/td> South Wales<\/p><\/td> Hafod-yr-ynys Roadside<\/p><\/td> 126<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> <\/p> The limit value for annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentrations is 40 µg/m3<\/sup>. Assessment is made using a mixture of monitoring site data, modelling of major roadside concentrations in urban areas and modelling of background concentrations. The maximum annual mean concentration of nitrogen dioxide and its location in the UK are displayed in the table below (monitoring and modelling data can be found on the UK-AIR website):<\/p> <\/p> Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Assessment area<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Location<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annual mean NO2<\/sub> concentration (µg/m3<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2001<\/p><\/td> Central Scotland<\/p><\/td> Modelled background location east of Glasgow (close to A73 and B803)<\/p><\/td> 95<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2002<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A3211 (between City of London boundary and A201 Blackfriars Bridge junction)<\/p><\/td> 87<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2003<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A501 (between Marylebone High St and A4201 junctions)<\/p><\/td> 109<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2004<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 113<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2005<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 184<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2006<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 168<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2007<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Marble Arch and Portman St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 155<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2008<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Marble Arch and Portman St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 182<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2009<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 163<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2010<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 170<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2011<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between Portman St and Duke St junctions)<\/p><\/td> 136<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A302 (between A3217 and A4 junctions)<\/p><\/td> 152<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2013<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A4 (between A315/A3216 and Hyde Park Corner junctions)<\/p><\/td> 126<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2014<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A40 (between A4206 and A5/A501 junctions)<\/p><\/td> 119<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A3211 (between A100 junction and Tower Hamlets boundary)<\/p><\/td> 115<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2016<\/p><\/td> Greater London Urban Area<\/p><\/td> A3211 (between Arthur St and Fish St Hill junctions)<\/p><\/td> 102<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> The UK is compliant with the Air Quality Directive and its predecessors regarding concentrations of PM2.5<\/sub>. All areas of the UK had maximum annual mean concentrations less than 20 µg/m3<\/sup> in 2016 (the limit value set by the European Union); but in every year some areas across the UK have exceed the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m3<\/sup> annual mean and a 24-hour mean of 25 µg/m3<\/sup>. Weighting the concentrations according to where the population lives gives annual mean concentrations which are less than the WHO guideline (9 µg/m3<\/sup> in 2016).<\/p> <\/p>"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-20T11:28:27.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nitrogen Dioxide"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government which places in the UK have had the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide exceedance of agreed EU limits in each year since 1997 for which records are held; and how many times the World Health Organisation's guideline for PM 2.5 has been exceeded.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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