Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the report National security assessment on global ecosystems, published on 20 January, what plans they have to prioritise the protection and restoration of ecosystems, particularly those that support the UK food system.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK is taking action to strengthen resilience to environmental risks at home and overseas, investing in forest and ocean protection and supporting the transition to more sustainable food and land use globally.
This includes strengthening supply chain resilience through the Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy and supporting sustainable agriculture globally through International Climate Finance (ICF) investments. The UK is on track to deliver £11.6 billion in ICF by the end of FY25/26, of which £3 billion should be Nature finance.
The Government has also recently published the revised Environmental Improvement Plan, which will help us to restore nature, improve environmental quality, and protect environmental security. Furthermore, our Food Strategy calls for action that will reduce the impact of our food system on the natural environment and build sustainability and resilience into our food supply chain. Together with our Farming Roadmap and Land Use Framework, we will enhance UK food security by protecting and stabilising food production and supply; and accelerate the green financial transition to drive economic growth at home and abroad.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reducing overseas aid on the UK’s response to the security risks posed by climate change.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We are committed to addressing the threats from the climate and nature crisis to our national security and economic prosperity, but as we reduce our overall aid budget, we need to achieve more with less by targeting our support where it has the most impact. The UK has a long track record of delivering that impact through our International Climate Finance, and we are on track to deliver £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of the financial year 2025/26.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the proposed extension of existing gas and oil drilling in the North Sea aligns with calls arising from the Global Stocktake to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea Future Plan sets out the Government’s globally standard setting, 1.5°C and climate science aligned approach to future oil and gas production, including how we will deliver our commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields.
The Government is also introducing new Transitional Energy Certificates to enable some oil and gas production in areas adjacent to already licensed fields, to ensure existing fields can be managed for their lifespan. Developers will not be permitted to carry out new exploration on these areas.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for legislation to make it mandatory for insurance companies to provide flood cover at an affordable and fair price, to supersede the temporary Flood Re scheme.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2024/25, Flood Re provided cover for over 346,000 household policies. 650,000 properties have benefitted since the scheme’s launch and 99% of householders at high risk of flooding can now obtain quotes from 10 or more insurers.
Flood Re have a statutory purpose to manage the transition to a risk-reflective market of flood insurance between 2016 and 2039 when the scheme is expected to end. Flood Re publishes a Transition Plan every five years outlining progress and actions to manage this transition. Flood Re's next Transition plan (Transition Plan 4) will be published in 2028.
We recognise that climate change and population growth could further impact on the future costs of home insurance. This is why we have committed to reviewing, by the end of this Parliament, how both government and industry are responding to these new challenges and creating the conditions for this transition.
The review will consider current and future actions to ensure that the insurance market can enable access to affordable flood insurance from 2039, without the need for ongoing government intervention.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to include saltmarshes in the UK's greenhouse gas inventory.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is actively exploring the role of marine nature-based solutions, such as seagrass and saltmarsh restoration, to deliver both carbon sequestration and broader benefits.
Defra is working in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Devolved Governments – through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership – to address evidence gaps that currently prevent the inclusion of saltmarsh in the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Defra Group have funded five flux towers to provide important carbon emissions data for saltmarsh habitats. Alongside investment to deliver a roadmap setting out the steps needed for potential inclusion of saltmarsh in the Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Other marine habitats will be kept in consideration as the evidence base around them develops.
Reflecting this ongoing work, saltmarsh was included within Defra’s Net Zero pathway for Carbon Budgets 4–6 as an early-stage policy.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on their stated ambition to deliver £11.6 billion of International Climate Finance between April 2021 and March 2026, of which £1.5 billion should be adaptation and resilience finance for 2025.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is on track to deliver £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of the financial year 2025/26. To support the most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst impacts of climate change, the Government is also on track to triple funding for adaptation from £500m in 2019 to £1.5 billion in 2025.
The UK’s International Climate Finance has helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, and helped to mobilise billions in private investment.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support global initiatives to reduce deforestation, following the announcement that they will not be investing in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility launched at COP30.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Reducing deforestation globally underpins UK security and growth and is vital to delivering our global goals on climate and nature. Tropical forests in particular safeguard regional rainfall and agriculture, underpinning UK food security. The UK will continue to drive progress in support of global efforts to reduce deforestation. We co-chair the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership and work with forest countries and communities to improve forest governance, sustainable trade and mobilise finance for forest protection and restoration. We continue to provide technical assistance in support of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility and have just announced additional support for the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests programme, which makes use of technical innovations such as space data, to help forest countries monitor and reduce deforestation.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have met or intend to meet representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church, Latin Church, and the Melkite Geek Catholic Church following settler violence against Palestinian communities in Taybeh in the West Bank.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK condemns settler violence and is concerned by incidents and attacks on holy sites across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our Consul General in Jerusalem has recently visited Taybeh with church leaders and international partners to express solidarity with the local community following attacks by settlers. We regularly raise settler violence with Israeli ministers and officials, and we are clear that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and settlement expansion. The Government has introduced three rounds of sanctions targeting individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations perpetrating and supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We do not comment on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of ongoing settler attacks on Palestinian communities in Taybeh in the West Bank, including the attack on St George’s Church on 7 July; and what steps they are taking to impose travel bans and financial sanctions on those responsible.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK condemns settler violence and is concerned by incidents and attacks on holy sites across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our Consul General in Jerusalem has recently visited Taybeh with church leaders and international partners to express solidarity with the local community following attacks by settlers. We regularly raise settler violence with Israeli ministers and officials, and we are clear that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and settlement expansion. The Government has introduced three rounds of sanctions targeting individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations perpetrating and supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We do not comment on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representation they have made to the government of Israel to investigate and prevent the reported incidents of arson and assaults by settlers on Palestinian property, agricultural land and holy sites in Taybeh in the West Bank.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK condemns settler violence and is concerned by incidents and attacks on holy sites across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our Consul General in Jerusalem has recently visited Taybeh with church leaders and international partners to express solidarity with the local community following attacks by settlers. We regularly raise settler violence with Israeli ministers and officials, and we are clear that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and settlement expansion. The Government has introduced three rounds of sanctions targeting individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations perpetrating and supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We do not comment on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.