Asked by: Jake Berry (Conservative - Rossendale and Darwen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what type of heating system is the primary source of heating in each building occupied by his Department and its agencies; and what fuel is used by those heating systems.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Identifying opportunities to decarbonise the department’s heating systems is already underway and the following breakdown of fuel sources has already been identified.
On the 93 sites that the Department provides heating:
A number of Defra’s buildings will become part of the Government Property Agency’s (GPA) Government property model and GPA is leading net zero plans to decarbonise these buildings. Defra will support these plans where required.
The buildings that remain under Defra group Property’s remit will be decarbonised as much as possible by the department’s Spending Review plans and by bidding for funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. These plans include the deployment of air or ground source heat pumps to support or replace existing heating systems, a move towards electrical heating and a better use of building management systems to achieve zonal heating to avoid heating unoccupied parts of a building.
There is also some exploratory work underway to look at the viability of hydrogen fuel heating and power generation which could help significantly with the decarbonisation of the laboratory sites.
The department will not rely on carbon offsets as a means to decarbonise buildings, instead making the reduction of direct emissions the primary aim.
Asked by: Jake Berry (Conservative - Rossendale and Darwen)
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 plans to take to tackle dog attacks on livestock.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
New measures to crack down on livestock worrying are to be introduced in England and Wales through the Kept Animals Bill introduced to Parliament on 8 June.
We will enhance enforcement mechanisms available to the police and expand the scope of livestock species and locations covered by the law. Improved powers will enable the police to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively – making it easier for them to collect evidence and, in the most serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents.
The scope of livestock species covered by the legislation will be extended to include animals such as llamas, emus, enclosed deer and donkeys. New locations will include roads and paths, as long as the livestock have not strayed into a road.
Asked by: Jake Berry (Conservative - Rossendale and Darwen)
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 protect (a) Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (b) the West Pennine Moors and other moorland areas and (c) National Parks from fires caused by the use of disposable barbecues.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
We are clear that everyone should follow the Countryside Code. A key part of Government strategy is to get clear and consistent messages to the media which highlight the problem and promote better behaviour in the countryside and encourage a partnership response.
There are existing powers in legislation which can be used by authorities to regulate and prohibit the lighting of fires on Access Land in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and National Parks. Current ‘Byelaw’ legislation allows for local authorities to restrict and enforce the use of disposable barbecues in parks and public spaces. Government has no plans for additional legislative proposals to introduce a seasonal ban on the use of disposable barbecues.
Government is working with AONBs, National Park Authorities; and other Government departments to promote a series of guidance videos to educate users about travelling to and spending time outdoors safely in the wider countryside. This includes an updated Countryside Code which advises not to have barbeques or fires. This guidance is available at the following links:
Green space access: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-on-accessing-green-spaces-safely
The Countryside Code: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code
Asked by: Jake Berry (Conservative - Rossendale and Darwen)
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 bring forward legislative proposals for a seasonal ban on the use of disposable barbecues away from the home in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, moorland areas and National Parks to help prevent fires after prolonged periods of dry weather.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
We are clear that everyone should follow the Countryside Code. A key part of Government strategy is to get clear and consistent messages to the media which highlight the problem and promote better behaviour in the countryside and encourage a partnership response.
There are existing powers in legislation which can be used by authorities to regulate and prohibit the lighting of fires on Access Land in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and National Parks. Current ‘Byelaw’ legislation allows for local authorities to restrict and enforce the use of disposable barbecues in parks and public spaces. Government has no plans for additional legislative proposals to introduce a seasonal ban on the use of disposable barbecues.
Government is working with AONBs, National Park Authorities; and other Government departments to promote a series of guidance videos to educate users about travelling to and spending time outdoors safely in the wider countryside. This includes an updated Countryside Code which advises not to have barbeques or fires. This guidance is available at the following links:
Green space access: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-on-accessing-green-spaces-safely
The Countryside Code: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code