Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking (1) to improve, or (2) to restore, the UK’s former access after 31 December to fishing opportunities in Icelandic waters.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Defra officials are engaging regularly with their Icelandic counterparts across a wide variety of policy issues. Recent discussions have been very positive and have focused on enhancing bilateral fisheries cooperation between the UK and Iceland, building on the fisheries commitments within the UK-Iceland Joint Vision for 2030.
The discussions have also touched on other fisheries management matters within the North-East Atlantic. These have included the UK’s recent accession to Regional Fisheries Management Organisations such as the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC).
The UK’s relationship with Iceland is likely to evolve further as the UK goes forward as an independent coastal State.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will classify the Eurasian beaver as a native species that can breed and live freely in Great Britain; and if so, (1) when, and (2) under what circumstances, they will do so.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out this Government’s commitment to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of native species where the benefits for the environment, people and the economy are clear.
We recognise the range of benefits that beavers may provide with regard to flood management, biodiversity, water quality and resilience to climate change. On the 8th of August the Government announced that beavers on the River Otter, the only licensed wild population, would be allowed to remain there permanently and will be allowed to continue to expand their range naturally.
We plan to hold a public consultation early next year on our national approach for beaver reintroduction, and our strategy for the management of the potential negative impacts of this native species in the wild. Natural England, with support from EA, are continuing work to help inform the Government’s national approach to the management and release of beaver in England and have been engaging with key stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will fund the reintroduction of beavers into appropriate catchment areas of the South West of England in order (1) to improve local flood resilience, and (2) to promote biodiversity.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out this Government’s commitment to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of native species where the benefits for the environment, people and the economy are clear.
We recognise the range of benefits that beavers may provide with regard to flood management, biodiversity, water quality and resilience to climate change. On the 8th of August the Government announced that beavers on the River Otter, the only licensed wild population, would be allowed to remain there permanently and will be allowed to continue to expand their range naturally.
We plan to hold a public consultation early next year on our national approach for beaver reintroduction, and our strategy for the management of the potential negative impacts of this native species in the wild. Natural England, with support from EA, are continuing work to help inform the Government’s national approach to the management and release of beaver in England and have been engaging with key stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the reintroduction of beavers into the South West of England in order to encourage the use of natural solutions to improve flood management.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The 25 Year Environment Plan sets out this Government’s commitment to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of native species where the benefits for the environment, people and the economy are clear.
We recognise the range of benefits that beavers may provide with regard to flood management, biodiversity, water quality and resilience to climate change. On the 8th of August the Government announced that beavers on the River Otter, the only licensed wild population, would be allowed to remain there permanently and will be allowed to continue to expand their range naturally.
We plan to hold a public consultation early next year on our national approach for beaver reintroduction, and our strategy for the management of the potential negative impacts of this native species in the wild. Natural England, with support from EA, are continuing work to help inform the Government’s national approach to the management and release of beaver in England and have been engaging with key stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with industry and other sector bodies about the role that decarbonising the maritime sector can play in achieving the UK's target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The domestic maritime sector falls under the UK’s national net zero target, and in common with the wider economy will need to be decarbonised by 2050 in order to achieve net zero.
The Department has regular meetings with industry and civil society representatives on the issue of decarbonisation, to discuss both domestic Net Zero and the international work to address greenhouse gas emissions being undertaken at the International Maritime Organization.
The Department has also established the Clean Maritime Council, a grouping of senior UK stakeholders who engage on environmental issues. This forms part of the Department’s Clean Maritime Plan.
Council members have provided input to the Departments plans on green recovery and decarbonisation and hope to be able to meet again soon.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that Tier 2 and Tier 3 Environmental Land Management Schemes are complementary to, and coordinated with, Nature Recovery Networks at a local and regional level.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Government is committed to establishing a Nature Recovery Network across the whole of England. This will restore habitat, creating an expanded and increasingly connected network of places that are richer in wildlife, more resilient to climate change, and which provides wider environmental benefits.
In the Environment Bill, we are legislating for Local Nature Recovery Strategies to provide the spatial mapping required to direct investment and action locally to help restore and create habitat and establish the Nature Recovery Network.
It is the Government’s intention to make the nature measures promoted by the new Environmental Land Management Scheme consistent with Local Nature Recovery Strategies. We are working closely with stakeholders to explore how best to do this.
We are exploring how the scheme could support the Nature Recovery Network through tests and trials. Five of the Tests and Trials are examining the Nature Recovery Network, including how a landscape scale plan could support the delivery of major habitat restoration.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of Denmark and Greenland about a fisheries agreement with Greenland; and whether they intend to conclude any such agreement.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The UK Government engages regularly with the Greenlandic authorities across a variety of policy areas. Although Greenland remains a constituent part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland enjoys full autonomy in respect of its fisheries, so the UK is able to discuss fisheries matters directly with the Greenlandic Government.
Defra fisheries officials have met with their Greenlandic counterparts this year. Discussions have centred on the UK's application for membership of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), fishery issues within the North-East Atlantic, as well as long-term bilateral arrangements. The UK's relationship with Greenland is likely to evolve further and in a positive direction as the UK goes forward as a fully independent coastal State.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 27 February (HL1809), when they estimate their assessments of costs, benefits and practicalities and whether to extend the scope of existing inspectorates to carry out invasive non-native species functions will be completed.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
This work is now underway. I anticipate that the majority of assessment and consideration of the findings will be completed this year.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will set out detailed plans for the (1) size, (2) geographical distribution, and (3) administrative implementation, of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
Government has committed to creating a UK Shared Prosperity Fund to succeed European structural funds and bind together the whole of the United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four nations. The 2019 Conservative Manifesto committed to targeting the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at the UK’s specific needs, and at a minimum match the size of European structural funds in each nation.
Final decisions on the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be taken after a cross-Governmental Spending Review. In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with interested parties whilst developing the fund.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to establish a dedicated inspectorate for invasive non-native species; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is carefully considering the case for an invasive non-native species (INNS) inspectorate and the functions that it might carry out.
The Government will look to determine if a separate inspectorate is required based on an assessment of costs, benefits and practicalities. The Government will also assess whether existing inspectorates might be extended in scope to carry out INNS related functions.