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Written Question
Plastics: Boilers and Water Supply
Wednesday 15th November 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 it her policy to ban plastic materials in (a) boilers and (b) water tanks.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 – which, in part, are designed to prevent contamination of drinking water supplies from water fittings – do not cover the design of boilers or hot water tanks, including the materials they are constructed from. If a consumer suspects that their drinking water is contaminated, they should contact their local water company who will investigate. If the cause of contamination is identified as occurring from plumbing inside the property, water companies will provide instructions to the consumer on remedial action to consider such as replacement or repair of the defective component. All plumbing inside a property is the responsibility of the property owner.


Written Question
Plastics: Health Hazards
Wednesday 15th November 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 bring forward legislative proposals to establish an independent body to (a) identify and (b) monitor public health threats from (i) plastic and (ii) microplastic contamination.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has no plans to bring forward legislative proposals. Public health threats are the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Written Question
Maize: Imports
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 made an assessment of the potential impact of stopping the importation of forage maize seed treated with bird repellent and fungicide on domestic production of forage maize for (a) the livestock industry, (b) the dairy industry and (c) the anaerobic digestion industry.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

From 1 January 2024, treated seeds can only be used if they are treated with Plant Protection Products authorised in GB. After we left the EU, transitional arrangements were put in place so that seeds treated with products authorised for use in the EU but not GB could continue to be imported, marketed and used. These arrangements come to an end on 31 December 2023. Industry has had the opportunity over the last 3 years to apply for the relevant GB authorisations, HSE has highlighted the actions that they need to take.


Written Question
Maize: Imports
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 made an assessment of the impact of banning imported forage maize seed treated with bird repellent and fungicide on (a) the UK’s ability to grow forage maize and (b) the alternative energy anaerobic digestion industry.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

From 1 January 2024, treated seeds can only be used if they are treated with Plant Protection Products authorised in GB. After we left the EU, transitional arrangements were put in place so that seeds treated with products authorised for use in the EU but not GB could continue to be imported, marketed and used. These arrangements come to an end on 31 December 2023. Industry has had the opportunity over the last 3 years to apply for the relevant GB authorisations, HSE has highlighted the actions that they need to take.


Written Question
Maize: Imports
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 made an assessment of the potential merits of alternatives to stopping the importation of treated forage maize seed at the end of this year.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

From 1 January 2024, treated seeds can only be used if they are treated with Plant Protection Products authorised in GB. After we left the EU, transitional arrangements were put in place so that seeds treated with products authorised for use in the EU but not GB could continue to be imported, marketed and used. These arrangements come to an end on 31 December 2023. Industry has had the opportunity over the last 3 years to apply for the relevant GB authorisations, HSE has highlighted the actions that they need to take.


Written Question
Metals: Waste Disposal
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of (a) illegal scrap metal operators on the metals recycling sector and (b) waste crime on (i) the waste and recycling sector and (ii) UK economy.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Waste regulation is a devolved matter. Following our consultation on reform of the waste exemptions regime in England and Wales we plan to remove the T9 exemption for the recovery of scrap metal and the U16 exemption for using vehicle parts dismantled from end-of life vehicles. These operations will now require an environmental permit.

My Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of waste crime on the waste and recycling sector or the UK economy. Research for the Environmental Services Association (Counting the Cost of UK Waste Crime, 2021) estimated that waste crime costs the economy in England £924 million in 2018/19.

The Government has provided an additional £10 million per year for the Environment Agency to tackle waste crime. This additional funding has been invested into three key areas of waste crime – tackling illegal waste sites, illegal dumping and illegal exports.


Written Question
Environment Agency: Finance
Friday 31st March 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 increase funding to the Environmental Agency to help tackle illegal operators in the (a) metals recycling and (b) waste and recycling sector.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Waste regulation is a devolved matter. Following our consultation on reform of the waste exemptions regime in England and Wales we plan to remove the T9 exemption for the recovery of scrap metal and the U16 exemption for using vehicle parts dismantled from end-of life vehicles. These operations will now require an environmental permit.

My Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of waste crime on the waste and recycling sector or the UK economy. Research for the Environmental Services Association (Counting the Cost of UK Waste Crime, 2021) estimated that waste crime costs the economy in England £924 million in 2018/19.

The Government has provided an additional £10 million per year for the Environment Agency to tackle waste crime. This additional funding has been invested into three key areas of waste crime – tackling illegal waste sites, illegal dumping and illegal exports.


Written Question
Batteries: Waste Disposal
Wednesday 29th March 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing household kerb-side collection of batteries to help (a) protect workers in the waste and recycling sector (b) reduce the number of fires caused by incorrectly disposed of lithium-ion batteries.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has not made any such assessment yet, but plans to consult on potential reforms to the batteries regulations to help address these issues by the end of the year.


Written Question
Batteries: Waste Disposal
Wednesday 29th March 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 is taking to help prevent the incorrect disposal of lithium-ion batteries.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra plans to consult on potential reforms to the batteries regulations to help address this issue by the end of the year.


Written Question
Marine Protected Areas
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: John McNally (Scottish National Party - Falkirk)

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 it her policy to ensure that 10 per cent of the UK's waters within her responsibility are covered by a Highly Protected Marine Area by 2026.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

Defra recently announced that it intends to designate the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas in English Waters. These HPMAs would be designated before 6th July 2023. Currently there are no targets set or planned for Highly Protected Marine Areas, however Defra will explore additional sites this year. Any future sites will also be subject to consultation.