Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - 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 steps his Department is taking to protect children from the effect of air pollution in (a) the London Borough of Southwark, (b) London and (c) England.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government is fully committed to tackling air pollution. We have put in place a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes £495 million for councils to improve air quality. On 14 January 2019 we published our new world leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively. The World Health Organization has praised our Clean Air Strategy as “an example for the rest of the world to follow”.
Local authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where these breach statutory limits. Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. Defra awarded a total of £2.4 million to local authorities in England from the 2017/18 air quality grant fund; £3.7 million was awarded in 2016/17; and £0.5 million in 2015/16. £3 million has been allocated for 2018/19.
The Mayor is responsible for air quality in the capital and has reserve powers under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 to reflect this. These powers enable the Mayor to take a broad range of actions, particularly in relation to transport.
Measurements at stations in London on the national monitoring network show a general long term reduction in air pollution. The London Boroughs, including Southwark, carry out local air quality monitoring as part of the Local Air Quality Management process and produce annual reports on the status of air quality within the Borough area.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to mark the centenary of women getting the right to vote in 1918.
Answered by George Eustice
The Women’s Networks across the Defra group will promote a series of activities and events throughout 2018 to celebrate the centenary of women getting the right to vote. These include the creation of a collage made from the images of women in environmental roles; network discussion sessions on equality; monthly ‘book clubs’; and the promotion of cross government and external suffrage events to encourage representation from Defra employees. We will use the centenary as the key theme of our International Women’s Day celebrations in March and celebrate the men involved in the suffrage movement on International Men’s day. Planning is also underway for an event later in the year to celebrate women in the Civil Service including a series of speakers reflecting on the past, present and aspirations for the future.
In addition to this, Defra and the Environment Agency are taking part in the suffrage flag relay and will host the flag in Cornwall, Bristol Warrington and York. We are also considering how we can participate in the cross government building light up in December.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to mark the centenary of women getting the right to vote in 1918.
Answered by George Eustice
The Women’s Networks across the Defra group will promote a series of activities and events throughout 2018 to celebrate the centenary of women getting the right to vote. These include the creation of a collage made from the images of women in environmental roles; network discussion sessions on equality; monthly ‘book clubs’; and the promotion of cross government and external suffrage events to encourage representation from Defra employees. We will use the centenary as the key theme of our International Women’s Day celebrations in March and celebrate the men involved in the suffrage movement on International Men’s day. Planning is also underway for an event later in the year to celebrate women in the Civil Service including a series of speakers reflecting on the past, present and aspirations for the future.
In addition to this, Defra and the Environment Agency are taking part in the suffrage flag relay and will host the flag in Cornwall, Bristol Warrington and York. We are also considering how we can participate in the cross government building light up in December.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - 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 plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) prohibit supermarkets from throwing away food that is out of date by one day and (b) require supermarkets to provide such food items to food banks.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Government favours a voluntary approach to reducing food waste and is working with food businesses through a voluntary approach to reduce it, including through redistribution when surplus food cannot be avoided. We have been working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on its review of date labelling and related advice for food businesses. Among other things, this guidance aims to remove key barriers to redistribution, for example, by providing advice on what can and cannot be done as the “best before” date approaches or is passed. WRAP launched a consultation on this guidance on 6 July this year and intends to publish the final guidance in the autumn.
Business signatories to the Courtauld 2025 Commitment are aiming to double the amount of food surplus they send for redistribution to a range of organisations between 2015 and 2020. We do not have plans to legislate.
Asked by: Baroness Harman (Labour - 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 steps she is taking to ensure that Thames Water customers affected by water outages and burst water pipes receive full compensation.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The regulatory framework governing the water sector in England ensures that water customers affected by outages and burst water pipes can receive compensation if the water supply is not reconnected promptly. The Guaranteed Standards Scheme requires companies to pay customers where they fail to meet minimum service standards. For water supply not restored within 48 hours, the GSS sets a minimum payment of £20 to domestic customers and £50 to business customers. These Standards can be viewed in full at www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/supply-and-standards/standards-of-service.
Where flooding occurred, Thames Water sent loss adjusters to work with local residents and businesses to ensure they were not left out of pocket by the bursts.