Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total value was of projects funded by her Department to improve or conserve biodiversity in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2014-15; and what such spending is expected to be in each of the next five years.
Answered by Grant Shapps
DFID funding focused on biodiversity was £29.1 million in 2010-11, £20.6 million in 2011-12, £18.3 million in 2012-13 and £35.1 million in 2013-14. This includes our relevant contributions to the Global Environment Facility. Data for 2014/15 and 2015/16 will be published once available.
DFID has also transferred £5.5 million per annum since 2011 to DEFRA for the Darwin Initiative. This is not accounted for in the above numbers.
Future funding levels for biodiversity will be determined as part of the current Spending Review process
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to continue funding for the next round of the UK Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund (Darwin Plus).
Answered by Desmond Swayne
This funding is subject to ministerial approval.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether (a) an environmental impact assessment and (b) a strategic environmental assessment has been prepared for the Marine Village Project on Montserrat; and if she will place in the Library a copy of each such document.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether (a) an environmental impact assessment and (b) a planning application were prepared prior to the clearing and infilling of the Pipers Pond wetland in Montserrat; and if she will place in the Library a copy of such documents.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many permanent full-time equivalent staff in her Department are working full-time on environmental sustainability matters with the UK Overseas Territories (a) currently and (b) in each of the last five years.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
The number of DFID staff working full-time on environmental sustainability matters as part of our support to UK Overseas Territories over the period in question is:
2009/10 | 1.0 |
2010/11 | 1.0 |
2011/12 | 1.0 |
2012/13 | Nil |
2013/14 | 0.5 |
Current | Nil |
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the annual expenditure of the government of Montserrat is provided by her Department.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
For the financial year 2013/2014, DFID provided 56% of the Government of Montserrat’s recurrent budget.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are taken to minimise the environmental effects of sand mining in Montserrat.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether a Landscape Impact and Mitigation Assessment has been conducted on the Carr's Bay Port development funded by her Department in Montserrat.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what infractions of the Montserrat physical planning regulations have occurred on construction projects financed by her Department on that island in each of the last four years.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment has been made of the success of (a) coral translocations and (b) mangrove planting conducted in Montserrat in the last two years as part of environmental mitigation for development projects funded by her Department.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
Environmental Management, Conservation and Physical Planning is the responsibility of the Government of Montserrat (GoM). GoM is accountable for the compliance of its own environment and conservation legislation and planning regulations.
DFID is supportive of GoM’s attempts to strengthen their environment management and praises GoM for the passing of the Conservation and Environmental Management Act this year.
We are not aware of any infractions of physical planning regulations occurring on DFID funded projects in the last four years.
DFID has not funded infrastructure for the Marine Village, Pipers Pond, sand mining or Carr’s Bay Port development.
When designing projects DFID takes into account a wide range of issues and considerations including social and environmental impacts.