Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms are included in the Countryside Stewardship scheme in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As of 14 November, there are 90 farm businesses with a current Countryside Stewardship Agreement or a Countryside Stewardship Agreement starting on 1 January 2024 for the Mid Bedfordshire Constituency.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms are included in the Sustainable Farming Incentive in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Sustainable Farming Incentive has a rolling application window and as of 14 November there are currently 12 farm businesses with a SFI agreement for the Mid Bedfordshire Constituency.
The SFI23 application window opened in mid-September and there is a rolling window to apply which allows farm businesses to apply when they are ready to do so.
We have a number of farm businesses that have started an application but not submitted one.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 sewage discharges in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Last year the Government launched the original Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan (SODRP). Following consultation, the government published an expanded SODRP to cover 100% of overflows in England, which will drive £60 billion capital investment by 2050 – the largest infrastructure investment in water company history.
In Mid Bedfordshire, the Environment Agency is working with Anglian Water Services (AWS) to reduce sewage pollution through AWS’s Pollution Incident Reduction Plan (PIRP). There are currently 23 schemes related to reducing or improving sewage discharges in Mid Bedfordshire which are due to be completed by 31 March 2025. Future schemes are currently being discussed for the next Price Review period, from 2025 to 2030.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of water bills in (a) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and (b) Bedfordshire.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat assesses affordability for each water company through a 5 yearly process called the Price Review. As part of this process, water companies must set out in their business plans how they will address affordability and outline their support measures for households that are struggling to pay, or who are at risk of struggling to pay.
As set out in our Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat, we expect water companies to improve the availability, quality, and uptake of support to low income and other vulnerable household customers. All water companies offer reduced bills for eligible customers via the WaterSure scheme and social tariffs, as well as a range of other financial support measures such as payment holidays, bill matching and advice on debt management and water efficiency.
The Government expects water companies to continue to actively engage with households and inform them of support measures available.