Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of anthelminthic concentrations in (1) freshwater generally, and (2) chalk streams specifically.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our monitoring on emerging chemicals is conducted through targeted screening based on risk. Twelve anthelminthic chemicals are monitored across 21 fresh water sites. Of these sites 18 are chalk streams. There is currently no evidence of adverse effects from exposure to these substances.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in revising the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, they intend to ensure harmonised veterinary antimicrobial stewardship with the European region, and to enable British farmers to continue to be able to export to the EU.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals while safeguarding animal welfare. Since 2014, the UK has reduced sales of veterinary antibiotics by 55% making the UK one of the lowest users of veterinary antibiotics across Europe, with only seven other European countries having sold less antibiotics in 2021 (Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia). We are currently revising our veterinary medicines legislation in ways which will strengthen our laws to tackle antimicrobial resistance. Our legislative proposals on AMR bear many similarities to recently updated EU legislation on veterinary medicines, while being tailored to the circumstances in the UK.
The EU has introduced two new AMR-related requirements in law for countries trading with the EU to comply with: a prohibition on the use of antimicrobial medicinal products as growth promoters, and a prohibition on the use of certain named antimicrobial substances, which are important for human health, in animals. The UK’s current legislation already prohibits both of these types of use in food animals, and this will remain unchanged by the revision of our Veterinary Medicines Regulations; therefore, British farmers’ exports will continue to comply with these requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) whether Natural England's Scientific Advisory Committee will publish their recently completed assessment report on the hen harrier brood meddling trial, (2) on what basis the decision was made by Natural England licensing services to extend the trial by two years rather than a longer or shorter period or not at all, and (3) whether they can identify the number of hen harrier chicks that were part of the trial and are subsequently known or thought to have fallen victim to illegal persecution.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
An overview of Natural England's (NE) Science Advisory Committee review of the Brood Management Trial was published in this NE blog on 16 March 2023: naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/16/update-on-the-hen-harrier-brood-management-trial/. A copy is attached with this answer. They advised that further social science data on changing attitudes, was needed. Consequently, The Brood Management partnership has applied for a licence for two years (2023-2024) to allow for further data to be collected. NE’s wildlife licensing service assessed this two-year licence application and issued the licence on 4 May 2023.
The trial is designed to understand how the availability of brood management may affect the persecution of all hen harriers. All hen harriers in England are therefore part of the trial, and research is underway on survival rates of wild reared hen harriers satellite-tagged by NE, before and after the availability of brood management. Of the 32 hen harriers reared in captivity and released with satellite tags, 10 are still alive, six dead birds have been recovered (five confirmed died naturally, one currently under investigation), and 16 have stopped transmitting and have not been recovered. The status of all tagged hen harriers tracked by NE is regularly published on this page: www.gov.uk/government/publications/hen-harriers-tracking-programme-update/hen-harrier-tracking-update.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of the microbiosphere in England and Wales; and what steps they are taking (1) to enhance knowledge of it, and (2) to preserve it.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 31st January 2023 the Government published its second statutory Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23), as committed to in the Environment Act. The EIP23 builds on the Government’s commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. It is delivery focussed and sets out the actions that will drive us towards reaching our long-term environmental targets and goals, including improving and protecting soil health.
This is aided by Defra receiving £140 million research and development funding over three years towards delivering the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme. NCEA is building long term monitoring capability and yielding valuable new data, including improved understanding of national soil condition and soil microbial activity.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of any damage done by any dumping of building waste beside the River Roding in Chigwell.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Environment Agency has assessed this site as a category 3 incident which is defined as having “minor or minimal impact or effect on the environment, people and/or property”. Environment Agency officers carried out a joint visit with Epping Forest District Council on 24 January 2023. At the time it was agreed the council would lead on the investigation, using their powers to issue an Enforcement Notice requiring all material imported onto site to be removed. The Environment Agency has continued to monitor the site to ensure no additional offending takes place.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 February 2022 (38774), when they intend to make an assessment of the environmental cost of single-use batteries in disposable vapes being improperly disposed.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware that the use of disposable vaping products which contain batteries has increased substantially in recent years and are considering the implications for the environment. As part of the review of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, we will consult on policies aimed at driving up levels of separate collection of electric and electronic waste, including vaping devices, later this year. A separate consultation on batteries is also scheduled for later this year and is similarly looking to strengthen the collection of portable batteries, including those contained in vapes.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the environmental hazard posed by discarded disposable vapes; and what consideration they have given to banning the sale of these products.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are no immediate plans to ban disposable vapes. However, as part of the review of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, we will consult on policies aimed at driving up levels of separate collection of electric and electronic waste, including vaping devices, later this year.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to carry out independent environmental impact studies in advance of significant dredging work in England.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Dredging and disposal of dredge material in the UK marine licensing area (as per Section 66 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA) require a marine licence, unless exempt under Section 75 of the MCAA. Before a licence is granted for dredging or disposal, an assessment of the potential impact on the environment must be undertaken. The MMO, as the licensing authority for English (and Northern Irish offshore) marine waters, are responsible for issuing marine licences.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress in the implementation of the F-gas regulations, particularly with regard to the greenhouse gas sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and reducing its carbon footprint in electricity transmission, distribution, and hydronic heat pump equipment; what plans they have to amend the F-gas Regulations 2014 ((EU) No 517/2014); and how they intend to ensure that expansion of the electricity grid does not increase carbon emissions through increased use of fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A review of the F-gas Regulation is underway. Defra published an Assessment Report in December 2022 that assesses the Regulation against its objectives to reduce F-gas use and emissions. Defra are now identifying options for change, with a focus on additional measures to help the UK meet Net Zero. Development of any proposals will account for factors such as the expansion of the power grid as regards SF6 use and the rollout of heat pumps as regards use of hydrofluorocarbons (the main types of F-gas).
In addition to the F-gas Regulation, Ofgem has a framework in place that encourages the reduction of SF6 emissions from existing switchgear equipment on the grid.
The F-gas Regulation reduces emissions primarily through the phasedown of the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the main type of F-gases. The Regulation also sets rules on F-gas use, containment, recovery and destruction and training and certification.
Alternative technologies to the use of SF6 in the power sector are being developed, with some already available and being deployed. Consideration needs to be given as to the ability to use alternatives at some existing sites, particularly where the footprint of a site is restricted such as in built-up areas.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote a regional fisheries agreement for the South Atlantic.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government is concerned about gaps in international fisheries governance in areas of our ocean and fish stocks not covered by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMO), including the South West Atlantic. The UK plans to raise this issue for discussion in a variety of international forums this year, including the Resumed Review Conference on the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. Establishing new agreements which would bring about more robust governance arrangements is likely to be a lengthy process. As a first step, and more immediate solution, we will be encouraging distant water fishing nations and coastal States to share scientific data in areas where there is no RFMO.