Asked by: Lord McCabe (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 progress has been made on producing a 25-Year Plan for the environment.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The 25 Year Plan for the environment is a Conservative manifesto commitment and a priority for this government – ensuring a healthy environment and strong economy. Ours will be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than when we found it.
The decision to leave the EU has meant the scope for the plan needed to be widened. We will now consider a long-term vision for our environment that is tailored to the needs of this country.
We will shortly be publishing an engagement framework which will provide everyone with the opportunity to contribute toward shaping our environment over the next few years. We look forward to continuing to work with a wide range of interests to determine our approach and work together to deliver it.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39643, what plans the Government has to discuss the EU Nature Directive as part of the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; what the EU Nature Directive's status will be during those negotiations; and whether her Department plans to retain the implemented measures that relate to the EU Nature Directive after the UK's negotiated exit from the EU.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Whilst we are still a part of the EU, the EU framework for our environment remains in place. Defra will continue to ensure the right policies are in place for a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.
The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including future arrangements for existing legislation. We have a manifesto commitment to produce a 25 Year Plan for the Environment.
We all now have an opportunity to consider our long-term vision for the environment following the referendum vote.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35884, on Bees: Pesticides, if she will make it her policy to exercise her powers to lift the temporary ban on neonicotinoids in the future; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
EU restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids have been fully implemented in the UK. Member States can authorise limited and controlled use of a pesticide on an exceptional basis in emergency situations to “control a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means”. Emergency authorisations are not granted automatically and applications must be based on evidence relating to the need for the pesticide and possible harmful effects.
Decisions on whether or not to grant authorisations for restricted neonicotinoids will be made on the basis of an examination of the technical and scientific information submitted by the applicant, by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health and Safety Executive. Two applications are currently under consideration and will be assessed using the above regulatory criteria.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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 representations her Department has made to the European Commission on the proposed reform of the EU Nature Directive.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra submitted evidence to the European Commission in April 2015 to inform their review of the EU Nature Directives. A Commission delegation then visited the UK in June 2015 to discuss the Directives in greater detail with Government officials, business group representatives and environmental non-governmental organisations. I spoke at EU Environment Council in December 2015 in support of improving how the Nature Directives are implemented and to make clear that the UK didn’t wish to see the Directives renegotiated. Defra’s written evidence and a recording of the December Council meeting are available on the European Commission website.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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 progress has been made on the National Litter Strategy which was announced on 5 December 2015.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government are working on the Litter Strategy for England to improve the way we all tackle the scourge of litter. We have an ambitious goal, to substantially reduce litter and littering in England, ensuring that our communities, natural landscape, roads and highways are clean and pleasant.
The Strategy will focus on three key themes: education and awareness; punishing offenders; and better cleansing and litter infrastructure. These will be backed up by specific actions under each objective.
We have established a Litter Strategy Advisory Group. We held a Litter Forum earlier this year to gather stakeholder views for the Strategy’s content and have begun working with a wide range of stakeholders to develop our approach. We will publish the Strategy this year and a great deal of work will be taken forward in the coming months.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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 protect bees from (a) neonicotinoids and (b) other harmful pesticides.
Answered by George Eustice
A pesticide may only be advertised, sold, supplied, stored and used if the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an authorisation. Such authorisations can only be issued if the active substances contained in the product have been approved by the European Commission. Following a thorough risk assessment, HSE imposes conditions on the way pesticides are used to ensure there is no harm to human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment. The assessment considers risks to bees; any pesticides considered liable to harm bees are not authorised.
Neonicotinoids are subject to these rules. The European Commission withdrew approval for the use of three neonicotinoid active substances on a number of crops in December 2013. The UK Government has implemented these restrictions in full.
The National Pollinator Strategy includes actions designed to improve the status of our bees and other pollinating insects, for example tackling the loss of flower-rich habitats. Another action is to promote and increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by farmers and growers. Increased uptake of IPM will help to achieve a more targeted approach to managing pests, weeds and diseases, with benefits for pollinators.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (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 long-term plans the Government has to protect and maintain the English coast.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Coastal Local Authorities are responsible for developing Shoreline Management Plans which provide a long term framework to manage the risk of coastal change to people and the environment. These plans are overseen by the Environment Agency to ensure a joined up approach to the management of the coastline and that decisions made in one area take account of the impacts on another.
Over the next six years the Government will be investing over £1bn to better protect homes and businesses from coastal flooding and erosion in England.