Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of running a publicity campaign to raise awareness of biomass plastics as an alternative to regular plastics; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
No.
Further research is required to make sure that bio-based plastics lead to a better environmental outcome overall. Our position on this was set out in the response to our call for evidence on the need for standards for bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics in April 2021.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on his approval of the Sussex IFCA by-laws; what his timeframe is for that approval; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) Nearshore Trawling Byelaw and the Netting Byelaw have both been submitted to Defra requesting final approval.
Defra is currently reviewing the full byelaw package for both byelaws, including reviewing evidence in the impact assessment and results of the byelaw consultation, in accordance with our statutory guidance.
No decision has yet been taken by the Department on whether to confirm either Byelaw. An update will be provided when the final Defra consideration process is concluded.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has responded to the WHO Ambient Air Pollution Database Update 2016; what assessment she has made of the findings of that update; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Latest compliance data show that the UK is meeting the EU daily and annual mean limits for particulate matter (PM) concentrations. We continue to monitor compliance with PM limits and to explore options to reduce PM concentrations further across the UK.
The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have the best natural environment anywhere. Clean air is an essential part of that ambition. In December last year, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing NO2 concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones, alongside national action and continued investment in clean technologies. These measures will also reduce PM concentrations.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what training her Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps she has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of her Department; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
Defra has a team leading on the Family Test who collaborate with the Department for Work and Pensions. The team work closely with staff across the Department to raise awareness, following the guidance on the family test issued by DWP.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the owners of Heathrow Airport on ensuring that that airport meets UK and EU air quality standards; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra’s Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Heathrow Airport.
Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.
Defra officials have also been in contact with Heathrow regarding the preparation of the Draft Air Quality Plan which sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Greater London Urban Area.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
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 has taken to improve air quality at Heathrow Airport; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Defra officials met with representatives from Heathrow Airport and the neighbouring Local Authorities to discuss the Heathrow Air Quality Action Plan as it was being developed. Since the Plan has been implemented regular meetings have taken place to understand the impacts of actions on local air quality.
The Government has also recently consulted on plans to improve air quality in the UK. The plan for the Greater London Urban Area sets out actions required to meet the EU limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 2025.
Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)
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 effect of the family test on her Department's policies; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by George Eustice
The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance:
The Family Test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policy in line with the Family Test guidance.
Where the test identifies impacts on the family, this will be evidenced as part of the formal published Impact Assessment, but at present no such impacts have been identified in Defra.