Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects on competition of proposals in his Department's consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood on fuel poverty in England; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Impact Assessment accompanying this consultation includes a Competition Assessment. This can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/air-quality-using-cleaner-fuels-for-domestic-burning
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will commission an assessment of the effect of proposals in his Department's consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood on fuel poverty in England; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
In this consultation, we asked for views on the most effective ways of avoiding any adverse impact on vulnerable groups or those who are reliant on solid fuel whilst supporting the Government’s objectives under the Clean Growth Strategy to phase out high carbon fossil fuel heating during the 2020s.
We are considering views and suggestions as part of our analysis of the consultation responses and discussions with stakeholders. This analysis will be reflected in the updated Impact Assessment accompanying our formal response to this consultation. The Government intends to publish these documents later in the year.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions staff in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the Irish Government on the effect of that Government's proposal on the burning of house coal in Ireland; and if he will make a statement
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra officials have met with their counterparts in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the Irish Government to discuss the house coal proposals outlined in the recent domestic burning consultation. Irish officials have shared data on the approach taken in Ireland as well as the health benefits achieved from their initial ban on the burning of smoky coal housecoal in Low Smoke Zones.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the (a) level of and (b) type of toxins released as a result of the domestic burning of (i) coal, (ii) wet wood and (iii) dried wood as part of his Department's consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood in England; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Government will take into account all factors that need to be considered in regulating the sale of the most polluting fuels. This includes the types of emissions from different fuels, the air quality benefits, and the impacts on business and households of switching to cleaner fuels.
Our assessments of emissions of pollutants from domestic combustion sources use a range of data but are based on established international reporting. The range of fuels and appliances used in the UK is large and emissions from each combination vary greatly depending on how the appliance is operated. Emission factors for wood can also vary due to the differences in moisture content and fuel density.
In compiling our National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory we use a combination of guidebook emissions factors for different combinations of fuels and appliances, alongside UK specific data on regional fuel and appliance usage.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consultation his Department has undertaken with the Competition and Markets Authority regarding competition in the solid fuel market in England as part of his Department’s consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra has not held discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority as part of its consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with retailers on all solid fuel prices across England as part of his Department’s consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
During the consultation period various respondents sent in their own price analyses. These note that there are price differentials associated with volumes purchased and seasonality as well as between differing locations across England. We are taking this information into account as we develop our analysis.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) research and (b) consultation his Department has undertaken with house coal retailers in England and Wales on house coal prices throughout England and Wales in relation to his Department’s consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood relates to England only.
Research has been undertaken based on responses submitted during the consultation period along with further analysis of advertised retail prices.
During the consultation period, various respondents sent in their own price analysis. These note that there are price differentials associated with volumes purchased and seasonality, as well as between differing locations across England.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the regulations governing the netting of bird nesting places in England.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
There are no plans to review regulations governing the netting of bird nesting places.
The use of netting to exclude birds from potential nesting sites is justified in certain circumstances, for example when protecting crops or restricting pest species’ access to buildings. However, we all have a responsibility to our local environment and we would expect those using netting to do so only when truly necessary and in compliance with the relevant legislation.
My colleague, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has written to leading developers to remind them of their obligations in this regard, which includes existing planning practice guidance on the natural environment, and standing advice for local planning authorities to assess the impacts of development on wild birds.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulations governing the use of the whip in horse racing.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Paul Farrelly, on 14 February 2019, PQ 219332.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the amount of surplus food produced in the UK; what the (a) sources and (b) destinations were of those surplus stocks; and how that estimate was calculated.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates that 43,000 tonnes of surplus food was redistributed in 2017. Retail (41%) and manufacturing (54%) provided the bulk of the surplus food redistributed with the remainder mainly from the hospitality and food service sector.
Charitable organisations redistributed 21,000 tonnes while commercial operators dealt with around 22,000 tonnes.
Data was collected by WRAP in an annual survey of major organisations whose primary business is redistribution of surplus food.
In October 2018, the Secretary of State announced a £15m pilot fund for 2019/20 to support the further redistribution of surplus food and reduce food waste.
We are looking to make announcements on the successful applicants to the first tranche of funding shortly and announce new opportunities for funding in the next few months.