Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Joint Air Quality Unit; and whether the Government has plans to (a) review and (b) expand that Unit.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs/Department for Transport Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) exists to deliver compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide in the shortest possible time. The Secretary of State has not made an assessment of JAQU’s effectiveness and there are no current plans to review or expand the unit.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline levels for (a) PM2.5 and (b) NO2 pollution to be met.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The WHO air quality guidelines are intended to inform the setting of air quality standards and are not ready-made targets for adoption as they do not take into account achievability or individual countries’ circumstances. For example, our evidence strongly suggests that the 2021 WHO guideline level for PM2.5 is not possible to achieve in many locations in England due to the level of natural PM2.5 and pollution blown in from outside the country. We do consider the WHO guidelines as part of an evidence led process when setting new air quality targets including the recently set PM2.5 targets which support continuous improvement in PM2.5 levels up to 2040. Our priority for NO2 remains working with local authorities to take action to achieve compliance with current NO2 limits in the shortest possible time.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Climate Change Act 2008 on trends in the number of property developments since 2008.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The lead department on this issue is DESNZ. Defra has therefore made no such assessment.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on new deposit return schemes in England.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently published its response to the 2021 consultation on introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Deposit Return Scheme will launch in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland from 1 October 2025. Cabinet discusses a range of issues and those discussions are confidential.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the UK plays a significant role in the implementation of Target 7 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
UK diplomatic leadership was critical to agreeing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and we will continue to champion the framework’s implementation. Target 7 is a global target for Parties to achieve by 2030, and includes the aim to reduce the overall risk of from pesticides by at least half globally and encourages the uptake of integrated pest management (IPM).
IPM lies at the heart of the UK's approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides, both domestically and internationally. At home, we recently announced new paid IPM actions to be introduced to the SFI scheme this year. Farmers will be paid to complete an IPM assessment and produce an IPM plan; establish and maintain flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips; establish a companion crop and to move towards insecticide-free farming. Globally, we are working with international partners to phase out use of the most harmful pesticides. For example, we are working with partners in Vietnam on the safe and sustainable use of agricultural pesticides to minimise environmental contamination and health impacts.
The pesticide specific indicator for Target 7 will be developed further over the coming year, informed by a group of independent global specialists. This is a global target, and we expect the steps needed to achieve it will vary by country, according to their current usage levels, and the agricultural and regulatory context.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Consultation on amending domestic food legislation in England, closed in March 2021, what progress his Department has made on examining labelling regulations, including mandatory labelling on food.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following consultation, the Food (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) (England) Regulations 2021 came into force on 17th June 2021. These regulations, which do not directly relate to labelling regulations but to food compositional matters, removed mutual recognition clauses for imports of certain products containing meat, bread and flour, fruit curds and mincemeat, and spreadable fats. A period of adjustment was also provided which ended on 1st October 2022. (In the case of the Products Containing Meat etc. Regulations, this period was provided initially until 12th December 2021 but was later extended until the same date.)
HM Government is committed to optimising the information that is available to consumers, and the Government Food Strategy sets out work that we will be taking forward on consumer information and transparency. As part of this strategy, HM Government has committed to developing labelling policy in the areas of eco-standards, animal welfare, and country of origin.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the World Health Organisation air quality guideline limits for PM2.5, what assessment his Department made of the merits of the guidelines when calculating the UK’s air pollution targets.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have recently launched a consultation on new ambitious PM 2.5 targets that are stretching, achievable and specific to our national circumstances. The WHO air quality guidelines are intended to inform the setting of air quality standards and are not ready-made targets for adoption. They were considered as part of the evidence process. The evidence supporting the proposed targets can be found at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/natural-environment-policy/consultation-on-environmental-targets/
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
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 reduce the nitrogen dioxide concentration beyond what is required in the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 – emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 32% and are at their lowest level since records began.
Since the publication of this Government’s 2017 nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) plan, we have been working closely with 61 English local authorities to develop and implement air quality measures to tackle their NO 2 exceedances. This has been underpinned by £880m of funding for implementing measures and support for individuals and businesses to upgrade to cleaner vehicles.
Additionally, as part of the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan, we will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, ten years earlier than planned. From 2035, all new cars and vans must be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made on discussions with the EU on changing the status of the UK to a Part 1 country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme so that animal health certificates would no longer be required.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has been formally ‘listed’ as a ‘Part 2’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel scheme, which means that new rules apply to pet movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. The pet health and documentary requirements for such pet travel are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
Defra recognises the impact that these changes are having on pet owners and assistance dog users. We are continuing to seek agreement from the European Commission on awarding GB ‘Part 1’ listed status and recognition of the UK’s tapeworm-free status, and we see no valid animal health reason for these not to be granted.
We have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity and we are currently planning for further engagement with the EU to progress both of these issues. Achieving these would alleviate a number of pet travel rules for all travellers, including the need for an Animal Health Certificate.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle food insecurity in the context of increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK has a high degree of food security. Last year, we published the Food Security Report which includes a section on food security at a household level. The latest statistics point to an increase in household food security between 2019 and 2020. There are undoubtedly going to be pressures on food prices as a result of increased input costs – including gas, fuel and fertiliser. That will have to be passed through the system, but the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help provide targeted cost of living support for households most in need.