Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the removal of cross compliance in 2024 on hedgerows on agricultural land in terms of (a) sustainable management and (b) carbon sequestration.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Now that we have left the EU, we have an opportunity to reform our regulatory system for farming and land management to better meet the country’s needs, unconstrained by the Common Agricultural Policy. We will take this opportunity to develop a modern regulatory system that effectively targets and addresses the causes of harm but is fair to farmers and reflects the realities of farming today.
While no formal assessment of the effect of the removal of cross compliance provisions on management of hedgerows and carbon sequestration has been undertaken, we will ensure that our high environmental standards are maintained as we move away from cross compliance.
There are existing legal protections for hedgerows in England and Wales outside of cross compliance, through the Hedgerows Regulations 1997. These regulations prohibit the removal of most countryside hedgerows (or parts of them) without first seeking approval from the local planning authority. It decides whether a hedgerow is ‘important’ and should not be removed because of its wildlife, landscape, historical or archaeological value. Alongside the Hedgerows Regulations, all wild birds, their eggs and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which prohibits killing, injuring or taking of wild birds or taking or damaging their eggs and nests. These regulations jointly provide important protections for most countryside hedgerows and for farmland birds.
In addition to these legislative protections, our new environmental land management schemes will also continue to fund the management of hedgerows, in recognition of their historical, cultural and environmental value to our countryside.
We will also continue to keep our domestic regulatory standards under review, raising standards according to new evidence and research, in line with our ambition for an improved future regulatory system.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
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 (a) financial costs and (b) environmental impacts of the use of domestic flights for business travel undertaken by Ministers and civil servants.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The Greening Government Commitments (GGCs) set out the Government’s ambitions to improve the environmental performance of its own estate and operations. It includes sub-targets on business travel, against which departments are required to report every quarter for an annual published report.
The GGC annual report for 2019/20 shows that, compared to a 2009 to 2010 baseline, the Government as a whole reduced the number of domestic flights taken by 38%. Alongside other actions taken, this helped contribute to a 50% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions for the government estate, compared to the 2009 to 2010 baseline. The reduced energy consumption, from the 50% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions across the estate, saved the government an estimated £148 million in 2019 to 2020, compared to the 2009 to 2010 baseline.
To build on this progress, in October, Defra published a new Greening Government Commitments Framework for 2021 to 2025. This includes a refined sub-target on domestic flights: between 2021 to 2025, departments are required to report on, and achieve, reductions in emissions from domestic flights by at least 30% from a 2017/18 baseline. Departmental progress against this target will be published annually.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
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 increase the use of sustainable surface transport by (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants when travelling in the UK on Government business.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The Government is committed to increasing the use of sustainable transport for Ministers and civil servants travelling in the UK on government business.
In October 2021, Defra published the new Greening Government Commitments Framework for 2021 to 2025, which sets out ambitious targets on the environmental impact of the government estate and its operations. This cross-Government framework includes three sub-targets focused on domestic business travel, which are designed to contribute to departmental greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
The sub-target that relates to surface transport is for the Government to meet the Government Fleet Commitment for 25% of the Government car fleet to be ultra low emission vehicles by 31 December 2022, and for 100% of the Government car and van fleet to be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe by 31 December 2027.
Departments are individually responsible for ensuring the core department and its agencies meet their targets, with data submitted to Defra every quarter for the purposes of the annual report. As of November 2021, almost 30% of the Government Car Service (which provides vehicles to Ministers and Senior Officials) are zero emission vehicles.
Defra provides a recognised Cycle to Work scheme for all eligible employees to use to purchase a bicycle for their commute to work, up to the value of £6,000. This is recovered via salary sacrifice as a tax-free benefit. For any employees who are not eligible for the salary sacrifice scheme, Defra offers a loan scheme similar to a season ticket loan, that provides up to £1,000 as an interest free loan to purchase a bicycle for their commute to work.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
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 plastic waste by supporting investment in bio-wraps such as corn starch.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The Government is committed to tackling plastic pollution and will explore all options to reduce the impact of plastic on our environment.
In April we published our response to the call for evidence on the need for standards for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics. Responses were mixed regarding the contribution of bio-based plastics to a more circular economy, with positive views about potential carbon contrasting with more cautious views about their potential impacts on land-use and waste management.
Further research is required to better understand the trade-offs and environmental impacts associated with generating the feedstocks for bio-based plastics. A key area of interest for the Government is bio-based plastics derived from materials that would otherwise have been waste. We welcome further research on the full environmental impacts of bio-based plastics. You can find out more information at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/standards-for-biodegradable-compostable-and-bio-based-plastics-call-for-evidence
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
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 prevent the use of glue traps in pest control.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
In our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in May this year, we announced that we would look to restrict the use of glue traps as a means of pest control. Accordingly, we are supporting the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East’s Glue Traps (Offences) Private Members Bill, which proposes to ban the use of glue traps for catching rodents. The Bill was introduced to Parliament on 16 June, and we will work closely with her over the coming months as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
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 prevent birds and small mammals from being caught in glue traps.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
In our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in May this year, we announced that we would look to restrict the use of glue traps as a means of pest control. Accordingly, we are supporting the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East’s Glue Traps (Offences) Private Members Bill, which proposes to ban the use of glue traps for catching rodents. The Bill was introduced to Parliament on 16 June, and we will work closely with her over the coming months as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Anyone using glue traps already has a responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to act within the law to ensure their activities do not cause any unnecessary suffering. The industry’s code of best practice (https://www.pmalliance.org.uk/codes-of-best-practice/), produced after consultation with Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Natural England, provides clear principles for the legal use of glue traps, including measures to protect non-target animals.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the formula for new burdens funding for the proposed changes to waste management.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government will ensure that local authorities are resourced to meet any new burdens arising from our collections and packaging reforms, including up front transition costs and ongoing operational costs.
We are working to assess net additional costs to local authorities, in line with the new burden’s doctrine. We will engage with the Local Government Association on these cost estimates, including the appropriate timing for funding to be provided to authorities. We will share information on cost estimates and funding timelines with local authorities in due course.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to increase local authority powers to direct property managers to make suitable provision for waste storage within properties they manage, including for separate collection of recyclable materials, where such decisions are not directly in the control of residents.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
In respect of household waste, local authorities already have powers under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) to serve a notice requiring an occupier to put their waste for collection in a specified kind and number of receptacles. Clause 57(5) of the Environment Bill amends section 46(2) of the EPA so that, subject to it being reasonable, an English waste collection authority (WCA) may require separate receptacles or compartments of receptacles to be used for the purposes of complying with its duties under new section 45A or 45AZA. This would mean that an English WCA can require different recyclable waste streams to be put in different receptacles.
A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any requirements imposed by section 46 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. An authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice under section 47ZA of the EPA to enable a person to discharge any liability to conviction for the offence.
If a person has failed to comply with a section 46 requirement, WCAs can also give a written notice under section 46A of the EPA if the failure has caused or is or was likely to cause a nuisance or has been or is or was likely to be detrimental to any amenities of the locality. If a written warning gets ignored, they can issue a financial penalty under section 46B. They also are not required to collect the waste if it is put out in contravention of a section 46 requirement.
Regarding household waste from non-domestic premises and relevant waste (which is commercial and industrial waste, which is similar in nature and composition to household waste), the Environment Bill requires that the person that presents waste for collection under the arrangements must present it separated in accordance with the arrangements (which must comply with the requirements in the Environment Bill). This would therefore include the waste producer but also a property manager if they were presenting the waste on behalf of a number of properties.
Under section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act, a WCA may already serve a notice against a business if their waste is not stored in receptacles of a particular kind and it is likely to cause a nuisance or to be detrimental to the amenities of the locality. Clause 57(6) of the Environment Bill amends s47(3) of the EPA so that WCAs can require separate receptacles or compartments to be used for the purposes of complying with the requirements in new s45AZB.
We are not currently planning on amending this legislation to change the powers that local authorities have. Our consultation on 'Consistency in Household and Business Recycling,' recently closed and we are considering responses to our proposals on the detail around enforcement.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to increase local authority powers to recover the full costs from waste producers and property managers of collecting and disposing of the contents of a contaminated bin and other failures to follow a reasonable requirement to separate waste for recycling.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
In respect of household waste, local authorities already have powers under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) to serve a notice requiring an occupier to put their waste for collection in a specified kind and number of receptacles. Clause 57(5) of the Environment Bill amends section 46(2) of the EPA so that, subject to it being reasonable, an English waste collection authority (WCA) may require separate receptacles or compartments of receptacles to be used for the purposes of complying with its duties under new section 45A or 45AZA. This would mean that an English WCA can require different recyclable waste streams to be put in different receptacles.
A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any requirements imposed by section 46 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. An authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice under section 47ZA of the EPA to enable a person to discharge any liability to conviction for the offence.
If a person has failed to comply with a section 46 requirement, WCAs can also give a written notice under section 46A of the EPA if the failure has caused or is or was likely to cause a nuisance or has been or is or was likely to be detrimental to any amenities of the locality. If a written warning gets ignored, they can issue a financial penalty under section 46B. They also are not required to collect the waste if it is put out in contravention of a section 46 requirement.
Regarding household waste from non-domestic premises and relevant waste (which is commercial and industrial waste, which is similar in nature and composition to household waste), the Environment Bill requires that the person that presents waste for collection under the arrangements must present it separated in accordance with the arrangements (which must comply with the requirements in the Environment Bill). This would therefore include the waste producer but also a property manager if they were presenting the waste on behalf of a number of properties.
Under section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act, a WCA may already serve a notice against a business if their waste is not stored in receptacles of a particular kind and it is likely to cause a nuisance or to be detrimental to the amenities of the locality. Clause 57(6) of the Environment Bill amends s47(3) of the EPA so that WCAs can require separate receptacles or compartments to be used for the purposes of complying with the requirements in new s45AZB.
We are not currently planning on amending this legislation to change the powers that local authorities have. Our consultation on 'Consistency in Household and Business Recycling,' recently closed and we are considering responses to our proposals on the detail around enforcement.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of giving local authorities increased powers to direct waste producers, including property managers for properties with shared services, to sort waste appropriately.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
In respect of household waste, local authorities already have powers under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) to serve a notice requiring an occupier to put their waste for collection in a specified kind and number of receptacles. Clause 57(5) of the Environment Bill amends section 46(2) of the EPA so that, subject to it being reasonable, an English waste collection authority (WCA) may require separate receptacles or compartments of receptacles to be used for the purposes of complying with its duties under new section 45A or 45AZA. This would mean that an English WCA can require different recyclable waste streams to be put in different receptacles.
A person who fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any requirements imposed by section 46 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. An authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice under section 47ZA of the EPA to enable a person to discharge any liability to conviction for the offence.
If a person has failed to comply with a section 46 requirement, WCAs can also give a written notice under section 46A of the EPA if the failure has caused or is or was likely to cause a nuisance or has been or is or was likely to be detrimental to any amenities of the locality. If a written warning gets ignored, they can issue a financial penalty under section 46B. They also are not required to collect the waste if it is put out in contravention of a section 46 requirement.
Regarding household waste from non-domestic premises and relevant waste (which is commercial and industrial waste, which is similar in nature and composition to household waste), the Environment Bill requires that the person that presents waste for collection under the arrangements must present it separated in accordance with the arrangements (which must comply with the requirements in the Environment Bill). This would therefore include the waste producer but also a property manager if they were presenting the waste on behalf of a number of properties.
Under section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act, a WCA may already serve a notice against a business if their waste is not stored in receptacles of a particular kind and it is likely to cause a nuisance or to be detrimental to the amenities of the locality. Clause 57(6) of the Environment Bill amends s47(3) of the EPA so that WCAs can require separate receptacles or compartments to be used for the purposes of complying with the requirements in new s45AZB.
We are not currently planning on amending this legislation to change the powers that local authorities have. Our consultation on 'Consistency in Household and Business Recycling,' recently closed and we are considering responses to our proposals on the detail around enforcement.