Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle litter.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Our Litter Strategy for England sets out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. The strategy contains a number of commitments, many of which have been completed or are nearing completion. Progress reports on delivering the Litter Strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-strategy-for-england-progress-reports.
The Prime Minister’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan set out how we will support council’s to take tougher action against those that litter. For example, last July we significantly raised the upper limit on fixed penalty notices from £150 to £500.
The Chewing Gum Task Force, established by Defra and funded by producers, has provided almost £2.5 million in grants since 2022 to help nearly 100 councils remove gum stains from high streets and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum being dropped in the first place. The Task Force has just launched another grant scheme for councils this year. Further information can be be found at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/local-authorities/reduce-litter/gum-litter/chewing-gum-task-force.
National Highways has developed a new campaign that aims to educate and change road users’ behaviour towards littering. The campaign will run from 12 February to 10 March and road users will be implored to stop littering as its deadly impact on wildlife is revealed.
In January this year, we announced our plans to ban disposable vapes in the UK. This will help to tackle a huge and growing stream of hard-to-recycle waste and litter, with nearly 5 million thrown away every week.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential benefits of digital tools in helping small and medium-sized developers to comply with biodiversity net gain on small sites.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government intends to implement mandatory biodiversity net gain for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2025.
The temporary transition for small sites until April 2024 is intended to lessen the short-term administrative burdens and to allow local planning authorities and smaller developers a longer period to prepare for biodiversity net gain.
The relative regulatory burden of BNG for small developers can be higher, so this transition is important to ensure time for small developers to familiarise themselves with the new requirement, associated guidance, and the small sites metric. We are developing tools that will help small, medium, and large developers alike. We are also providing training and guidance that will support developers in the necessary assessments and processes.
In addition, we are aware a number of digital tools are being developed in the private sector to support small and medium sized developers.
Given that this is a temporary transition until April 2024, and that small development only makes up a small proportion of overall land use change from non-developed to urban land cover[1], we expect this transition period will a limited impact on biodiversity.
We also know that some developers are already voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming mandatory. The transition period for small sites does not prohibit developers from delivering voluntary BNG ahead of April 2024.
Defra intends to lay the small sites metric alongside the statutory metric ahead of implementation in November.
[1] Net gain impact assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk) Section 2.2.2
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's decision to delay the implementation of biodiversity net gain on small sites until April 2024 on (a) the amount of habitat created in that period, (b) the amount of habitat destroyed in that period, (c) the UK’s ability to meet its commitments under the G7 2030 Nature Compact and (d) small developers.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government intends to implement mandatory biodiversity net gain for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2025.
The temporary transition for small sites until April 2024 is intended to lessen the short-term administrative burdens and to allow local planning authorities and smaller developers a longer period to prepare for biodiversity net gain.
The relative regulatory burden of BNG for small developers can be higher, so this transition is important to ensure time for small developers to familiarise themselves with the new requirement, associated guidance, and the small sites metric. We are developing tools that will help small, medium, and large developers alike. We are also providing training and guidance that will support developers in the necessary assessments and processes.
In addition, we are aware a number of digital tools are being developed in the private sector to support small and medium sized developers.
Given that this is a temporary transition until April 2024, and that small development only makes up a small proportion of overall land use change from non-developed to urban land cover[1], we expect this transition period will a limited impact on biodiversity.
We also know that some developers are already voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming mandatory. The transition period for small sites does not prohibit developers from delivering voluntary BNG ahead of April 2024.
Defra intends to lay the small sites metric alongside the statutory metric ahead of implementation in November.
[1] Net gain impact assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk) Section 2.2.2
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's timeline is for laying the Statutory Instrument to commence the implementation of biodiversity net gain under Part 6 of the Environment Act 2021 in relation to both the main and small sites metric.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government intends to implement mandatory biodiversity net gain for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2025.
The temporary transition for small sites until April 2024 is intended to lessen the short-term administrative burdens and to allow local planning authorities and smaller developers a longer period to prepare for biodiversity net gain.
The relative regulatory burden of BNG for small developers can be higher, so this transition is important to ensure time for small developers to familiarise themselves with the new requirement, associated guidance, and the small sites metric. We are developing tools that will help small, medium, and large developers alike. We are also providing training and guidance that will support developers in the necessary assessments and processes.
In addition, we are aware a number of digital tools are being developed in the private sector to support small and medium sized developers.
Given that this is a temporary transition until April 2024, and that small development only makes up a small proportion of overall land use change from non-developed to urban land cover[1], we expect this transition period will a limited impact on biodiversity.
We also know that some developers are already voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming mandatory. The transition period for small sites does not prohibit developers from delivering voluntary BNG ahead of April 2024.
Defra intends to lay the small sites metric alongside the statutory metric ahead of implementation in November.
[1] Net gain impact assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk) Section 2.2.2
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Statutory Instrument to commence the implementation of biodiversity net gain under Part 6 of the Environment Act 2021 will confirm the implementation dates for the (a) main and (b) small sites metric.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government intends to implement mandatory biodiversity net gain for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2025.
The temporary transition for small sites until April 2024 is intended to lessen the short-term administrative burdens and to allow local planning authorities and smaller developers a longer period to prepare for biodiversity net gain.
The relative regulatory burden of BNG for small developers can be higher, so this transition is important to ensure time for small developers to familiarise themselves with the new requirement, associated guidance, and the small sites metric. We are developing tools that will help small, medium, and large developers alike. We are also providing training and guidance that will support developers in the necessary assessments and processes.
In addition, we are aware a number of digital tools are being developed in the private sector to support small and medium sized developers.
Given that this is a temporary transition until April 2024, and that small development only makes up a small proportion of overall land use change from non-developed to urban land cover[1], we expect this transition period will a limited impact on biodiversity.
We also know that some developers are already voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming mandatory. The transition period for small sites does not prohibit developers from delivering voluntary BNG ahead of April 2024.
Defra intends to lay the small sites metric alongside the statutory metric ahead of implementation in November.
[1] Net gain impact assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk) Section 2.2.2
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to implement the biodiversity net gain on small sites after April 2024.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government intends to implement mandatory biodiversity net gain for most new major development under the Town and Country Planning Act (1990) from November this year, for minor development from April 2024 and for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2025.
The temporary transition for small sites until April 2024 is intended to lessen the short-term administrative burdens and to allow local planning authorities and smaller developers a longer period to prepare for biodiversity net gain.
The relative regulatory burden of BNG for small developers can be higher, so this transition is important to ensure time for small developers to familiarise themselves with the new requirement, associated guidance, and the small sites metric. We are developing tools that will help small, medium, and large developers alike. We are also providing training and guidance that will support developers in the necessary assessments and processes.
In addition, we are aware a number of digital tools are being developed in the private sector to support small and medium sized developers.
Given that this is a temporary transition until April 2024, and that small development only makes up a small proportion of overall land use change from non-developed to urban land cover[1], we expect this transition period will a limited impact on biodiversity.
We also know that some developers are already voluntarily delivering biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming mandatory. The transition period for small sites does not prohibit developers from delivering voluntary BNG ahead of April 2024.
Defra intends to lay the small sites metric alongside the statutory metric ahead of implementation in November.
[1] Net gain impact assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk) Section 2.2.2
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 September 2022 to Question 53520 on Animal Welfare: Electric Shock, what data her Department holds on the level of discomfort that e-collar systems cause in (a) livestock and (b) dogs; and if she will commission research in this area.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The best proven method of preventing a dog from attacking livestock is to keep the dog on a lead when exercising around other animals, as advised by farmers and other keepers of livestock. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance on how to keep dogs safe and under control. The code is available here: Code of practice for the welfare of dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Defra’s research into electric shock collars is available here: Science Search (defra.gov.uk) .
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the National Sheep Association’s letter to Government on 26 August 2022 on its concerns about the potential impact of banning e-collars on the numbers of livestock killed by dogs.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The best proven method of preventing a dog from attacking livestock is to keep the dog on a lead when exercising around other animals, as advised by farmers and other keepers of livestock. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance on how to keep dogs safe and under control. The code is available here: Code of practice for the welfare of dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Defra’s research into electric shock collars is available here: Science Search (defra.gov.uk) .
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to respond to the consultation on Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which closed on 4 June 2021; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Further details on when a Deposit Return Scheme will be introduced will be set out in the Government response to last year's consultation. We are working towards publication in late 2022.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to reply to the letter of 3 July 2019 from the hon. Member for Ashford.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.