Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance has been given to local authorities on removing unauthorised moorings on rivers; and what is the division of responsibilities between (a) councils and (b) Environment Agency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Navigation authorities are responsible for managing operations on their waterways and the Government does not direct that. Boaters are expected to comply with the terms of their licences for the benefit of all waterway users, including any restrictions on mooring. In instances of non-compliance, navigation authorities have enforcement powers. Where a boat is occupied, particularly in cases involving potential vulnerability, navigation authorities seek to work with local authority housing and safeguarding teams to assess welfare concerns and avoid disproportionate outcomes.
There is no specific national guidance on the division of responsibilities between councils and the Environment Agency (EA) for removing boats from unauthorised moorings, as such situations typically involve shared and locally determined responsibilities. The EA engages with local authorities on the potential use of its powers to remove unregistered boats from its waterways. Where a boat is moored without permission on land owned by a local authority, the authority leads on arranging its removal with the EA providing support and coordination where appropriate.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 12 June 2025 to Question 57661 on Water Charges, what estimate he has made of the average household water bill in each year from 2025 to 2030.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The price controls set by Ofwat under Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. The average customer bill will increase by 36% over the next five years. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average, before inflation, over the next five years. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas.
The Secretary of State has secured agreement with Ofwat that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will also ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 7 January 2025 to Question 21148 on Air Pollution, which local authorities his Department is discussing Clean Air Zones with.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has agreed local plans with all areas in the NO2 programme except for Stoke-on-Trent/Newcastle-under-Lyme. Seven Clean Air Zones have been implemented by local authorities under the previous Government where local plans had evidenced them to achieve legal NO2 levels in the shortest possible time. Government engages with these local authorities on a range of issues, including the operation of their Clean Air Zones,
Local authorities with established Clean Air Zones are:
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 3 January 2025 to Question 19349 on Nature Conservation: EU law, what amendments to assimilated EU law are being considered.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Future plans for the reporting period 24 June to 23 December 2025 will be included in the fourth Assimilated Law Parliamentary Report. Past reports can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/retained-eu-law-reul-parliamentary-report.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how local authorities are charged for the costs of residual waste disposal through (a) incineration and (b) landfill.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long the nation has seen recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning or burying waste.
The Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy, a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. Key to this commitment is the reduction of residual waste.
Charges for waste disposal are usually expressed as a pound per tonne cost and paid monthly in arrears depending on the tonnage managed under the contractual relationship. The overall cost of waste disposal will depend on a number of variables, associated with their contracts.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) publishes an annual gate fees report UK Gate Fees report 2023-24 | WRAP.
The disposal of waste in landfill is also subject to the Landfill Tax. Landfill Tax rates - GOV.UK
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 21 January 2025 to Question 23346 on Property Development: Air Pollution, for what reason a Regulatory Impact Assessment is not required for that guidance.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Applicants are advised to consider the interim planning guidance as part of their planning application, but the interim guidance is not statutory. Therefore, it is not a regulatory provision and as such a Regulatory Impact Assessment is not currently required.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 21 January 2025 to Question 23346 on Property Development: Air Pollution, how many new developments and dwellings currently undertake air quality assessments; and when such are assessments required.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All developments subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment are required to undertake air quality assessments. Air quality assessments may also be required for developments where national assessment indicates that relevant limit values for air pollutants have been exceeded or are near the limit, or where the need for emissions reductions has been identified.
The information regarding how many new developments and dwellings currently undertake air quality assessments is not collated centrally.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 Answers of 20 September 2024 to Question 5409 on Recycling and to Question 5225 on Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal, whether it is her policy that the minimum residual frequency for household waste collections should be two weeks.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Simpler Recycling will mean that people across England will be able to recycle the same materials at home, work or school, ending the confusion over what can or cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) publish a response to and (b) implement the policies set out in the consultation on statutory litter enforcement guidance that closed in April 2024.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the role that appropriate and proportionate enforcement can play in helping local authorities keep streets clear of litter. Defra is considering the benefits of bringing forward statutory litter enforcement guidance and any new guidance will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Equality, whether the socio-economic duty will apply to local authority decisions on the configuration of household waste and recycling collections.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities must comply with all relevant Equalities Act duties and in England this will include the socio-economic duty in due course.