Lord Randall of Uxbridge

The UK Overseas Territories Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands and the Falkland Islands have had UK ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change extended to them. Currently no UK Overseas Territories have had UK ratification of the Paris Agreement extended to them.

The Department is consulting with UK Overseas Territories as to whether they would like to have the UK’s ratification of the Paris Agreement extended to them.

The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia comprise a UK Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus. UK ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has not been extended to the Sovereign Base Areas. The Department will consult with the Sovereign Base Areas should they formally request the extension.

Defra is in the process of analysing and assessing its retained EU law stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. This work will determine how we use the powers in the Bill, including in relation to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Having said this, there are no plans to remove the ban on sow stalls.

Nature is in need of our help. We have been clear about the importance of environmental protection across the United Kingdom, not least through our world leading Environment Act, which sets a new legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and we are developing an extensive policy programme to deliver that.

In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.

Defra has routinely met environmental stakeholders since the introduction of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill to sight them on developments as the Bill passes through Parliament. Defra will continue to engage stakeholders as it takes steps to create laws and regulations in the interests of the UK. Defra is committed to engaging with stakeholders to ensure policy decisions are well-informed and result in benefits for both citizens and business.

Defra is in the process of analysing its REUL stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK.

My department is carefully considering the retained EU law (REUL) caught by the sunset clause in the REUL Bill, which will include the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the Habitats Regulations). In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.

There is no impact. In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently.

On Wednesday 30^th November we announced we will be channelling money from water company fines into schemes to improve the environment. The announcement is available on .gov.uk at the webpage here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/water-company-fines-to-be-channelled-into-environmental-improvements.

Farmers and land managers have an important role to play in reducing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion to both rural and urban areas. As well as protecting more than 300,000 homes, the 2015-2021 £2.6bn flood investment programme reduced the risk of flooding to nearly 600,000 acres of agricultural land. The 2021-27 capital programme will offer increased protection to approximately 370,000 acres of agricultural land.

Current offers to support farmers include the Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme, which supports farmers to improve water quality and manage flood risk through a range of grants and advice from Catchment Sensitive Farming. Grants to improve water quality include buffer strips that help reduce the risk of pollutants being transported to watercourses and capital grants to reduce run off of dirty water. Support to manage flood risk include grants to control runoff and make space for water.

We are also introducing our new Environmental Land Management schemes, that reward environmental benefits, including water quality and protection from environmental hazards like flooding.

We are considering various options to tackle the issues from commonly littered items, following our call for evidence. These options include a ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic, a mandatory ‘flush-ability’ standard, mandatory labelling on packaging, and an extended producer responsibility scheme for wipes containing plastic. We will publish an update on the responses to this call for evidence in due course.

Bathing waters are designated through an application process, as set out in the regulations. Local authorities, groups and individuals can apply for sites to be designated.

Defra has written to the Chief Executive of every local authority in England and other key stakeholders such as swimming associations to signpost the application process.

Snakes are provided protection under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This means that it is an offence to cause them any unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for their welfare needs.

In England, the keeping of snakes in captivity, outside of zoos, is currently regulated by the Animal Welfare (Licencing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (LAIA). These Regulations require any business selling animals as pets - including snakes - to be licensed. Local authorities are responsible for granting these licences, and the licences must include a general condition requiring licensees to keep all animals in an environment suitable to their species and condition. The statutory guidance to local authorities contains details in relation to the minimum welfare standards that are considered appropriate for snakes, including minimum requirements relating to vivarium size.

The statutory five-year LAIA Post-Implementation Review (PIR) is due by October 2023. As part of this review, we will be seeking views and considering evidence on the minimum standards for the size of temporary vivaria for snakes in pet selling establishments.

HM Government is committed to expanding the Darwin Plus programme. Darwin Plus Local is planned to open for applications in January 2023, ready to fund projects from April 2023. More information about the development of Darwin Plus Strategic will be published in 2023.

In the United Kingdom, there are currently significant evidence gaps that prevent the accurate reporting and therefore inclusion of emissions from coastal wetland habitats into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. However, through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, UK Administrations are working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Defra to address key research questions relating to blue carbon. One of the first aims of the Partnership has been to identify and then clearly set out the most pressing research questions relating to blue carbon in an Evidence Needs Statement. The Statement is likely to include identification of evidence gaps which are a barrier to the inclusion of coastal wetlands into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory as set out in a recently published report commissioned by BEIS; "Towards the inclusion of coastal wetlands in the UK LULUCF inventory" (a copy is attached to this answer).The UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership plans to publish the Evidence Needs Statement in spring 2023.

In the United Kingdom, there are currently significant evidence gaps that prevent the accurate reporting and therefore inclusion of emissions from coastal wetland habitats into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. However, through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, UK Administrations are working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Defra to address key research questions relating to blue carbon. One of the first aims of the Partnership has been to identify and then clearly set out the most pressing research questions relating to blue carbon in an Evidence Needs Statement. The Statement is likely to include identification of evidence gaps which are a barrier to the inclusion of coastal wetlands into the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory as set out in a recently published report commissioned by BEIS; "Towards the inclusion of coastal wetlands in the UK LULUCF inventory" (a copy is attached to this answer).The UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership plans to publish the Evidence Needs Statement in spring 2023.

The United Kingdom established a new cross-Administration UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership (UKBCEP), to progress the evidence base on blue carbon habitats in UK waters and advance our commitment to protecting and restoring blue carbon habitats as a nature-based solution. Through the UKBCEP, UK Administrations are working together with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Defra to address key research questions related to blue carbon policy.

In April 2022, the UK Government launched its £140 million Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme, a flagship three-year R&D programme, spanning England's land, coast and sea. The programme includes mapping of blue carbon stock and sequestration rates and measuring the effects of physical damage and disturbance to the seabed (such as from bottom trawling) on blue carbon storage. This work will be used to inform marine planning and development decisions. In the programme's proof-of-concept year, the Environment Agency mapped areas within saltmarshes with different capacities to capture and store carbon, bringing the national saltmarsh zonation map up to 96.5% coverage of England's total saltmarsh habitat. The programme's work is now expanding to incorporate seagrass meadows and other coastal habitats to increase our understanding of their carbon storage and sequestration rates.

We are also improving understanding of the impact of climate change on marine and coastal ecosystems. The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) synthesises the latest research and evidence on climate change impacts and predicted trends affecting those ecosystems. Established in 2005, MCCIP engages with a wide range of scientific authors and reviewers to produce updates on the evidence base. Going forward, topic updates will be provided on a rolling basis, supplying policy makers and the public with updates on the current and predicted impacts of climate change as they happen, to inform dynamic UK policy approaches to adaptation.

As Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, I will be attending CBD COP15 as part of the UK delegation, which will be led by Defra Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey. My Department continues to work closely with the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies on our plans for the meeting. The current intention is for the delegation to contain eight representatives from the Overseas Territories. We will work closely together to advocate for ambitious global targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, including targets to ensure that at least 30% of the global land and of the ocean is protected, ecosystems are restored, species population sizes are recovering, and extinctions are halted by 2050.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

Land availability is a key consideration of any future role for domestic biomass production. The Food Strategy, published in June 2022, commits to publishing a land use framework for England in 2023 which will set out land-use change principles to ensure food security is balanced alongside climate, environment and infrastructure outcomes. We are seeking to deliver as much as we can on our limited supply of land, to meet the full range of HM Government commitments through multifunctional landscapes.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in a written statement published on 28^th October, we will continue to work at pace in order to lay draft statutory instruments as soon as practicable.

The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out the steps HM Government intends to take to improve the natural environment. The EIP will be reviewed to include an overview of delivery measures needed to meet targets and at least one interim target for each long-term target that has been set.

Defra in collaboration with the Devolved Administrations host regular avian influenza stakeholder meetings attended by organisations representing the breadth of the bird keeping sector including commercial, small scale, pet and specialist bird keepers, together with ornithological, veterinary, wildlife rehabilitation sector representatives. Expert advice is also sought by the UKs Chief Veterinary Officer and animal health policy officials through the Ornithology National Experts Group , and Great Britain Avian Exotic Disease Core Group which include representatives from across the bird keeping sector. These forums, in conjunction with facilitating transmission of information from HM Government on the latest outbreak situation, control measures and biosecurity advice to the sector, provide the opportunity for the sector to escalate questions and feedback to HM Government. Engagement with stakeholders is further facilitated through the Defra and Welsh Government Avian Influenza Wild Bird Recovery Advisory Group and the NatureScot taskforce on avian influenza, on both the impact of avian influenza on wild birds and the long term actions which may be needed to support species recovery

In addition, the Animal and Plant Health Agency is leading on a cross-government, cross-agency review of lessons from the recent outbreak which will identify what went well and areas where improvements can be made to improve the effectiveness of the response to future outbreaks. Stakeholders, including small avian farms, have fed into this process and their suggestions and concerns will be reviewed as part of this.

The two brands mentioned are not on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) register because the companies that produce these brands have not registered as EEE producers for this compliance year. The Environment Agency is currently looking into the e-cigarette industry to scope out which legal entities should be obligated as producers under the WEEE regulations.

Outbreaks of avian influenza in both kept and wild birds continue to occur at an unprecedented scale across Europe and the UK with cases continuing to be confirmed into year two of the outbreak for the first time.

Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carry out surveillance of disease risks in the UK and around the world to help us assess the impact of current threats such as avian influenza, together with helping anticipate future threats to animal health. As part of this work, and in addition to responding to reports of avian influenza in kept birds, APHA carry out surveillance for avian influenza in wild birds to help us understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of wild bird, and what the risk to poultry including kept game birds and other captive birds is.

Defra’s disease control measures seek to contain the number of animals that need to be culled, either for disease control purposes or to safeguard animal welfare. Our approach aims to reduce adverse impacts on the rural and wider economy, the public, rural communities and the environment (including impact on wildlife), whilst protecting public health and minimising the overall cost of any outbreak. All decisions regarding the disease and prevention control measures are based on risk assessments containing the latest scientific veterinary and ornithological advice. APHA’s risk assessments are published and available on GOV.UK through the ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection and include assessments covering the poultry and gamebird sectors in addition to wild birds. In summary, the risk of incursion of highly pathogenic (HPAI) avian influenza H5 in wild birds in Great Britain is currently assessed as very high (i.e. event occurs almost certainly). The risk to poultry with stringent biosecurity is currently assessed as medium (i.e. event occurs regularly) (with high uncertainty). However, the risk to poultry exposure to HPAI H5 in Great Britain with suboptimal biosecurity is assessed as high (i.e. event occurs very often) (with low uncertainty).

Good biosecurity is the essential defence against avian influenza and is key to limiting the spread of avian influenza in kept birds in an outbreak. To help stop the spread of avian influenza in kept birds an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been introduced in the UK. Mandatory housing measures are also in force as an additional requirement of the AIPZ in Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of Essex. Due to the escalating risk from wild birds nationally mandatory housing measures will be extended to cover the whole of England from 7 November 2022. For areas where an AIPZ is in force it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers (whether they had pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) to follow strict biosecurity measures to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease, including where mandatory housing measures are a requirement of an AIPZ in force to keep their birds indoors.

In 2021, HM Government published the England Trees Action Plan, which sets out our long-term vision for supporting and protecting trees and woodlands of all kinds.

Through the £750 million Nature for Climate Fund, we are supporting the expansion and restoration of woodlands through the England Woodland Creation Offer and the Regional Woodland Restoration Funds. The Regional Woodland Restoration Funds support proposals that will restore woodland ecological condition and bring woodlands into management. Under the South West and North West and West Midlands Innovation Funds, we encourage applications that result in the restoration of temperate rainforests along England's Atlantic fringe.

I recently met with the Lost Rainforests of Britain Campaign to understand what more we can do to increase protections for our temperate rainforests, We are looking at what further action HM Government can take.

The Secretary of State has received representations from Wild Justice and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust regarding reviewing the close season for woodcock.

In their representation, dated 21 March 2022, Wild Justice requested that the Secretary of State use their power under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to vary the close season for woodcock, as they believe this would be beneficial to the recovery of the native woodcock population. In response to the letter from Wild Justice, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust wrote to the Secretary of State on 4 April 2022, setting out their view that restrictions to the close season could be counterproductive and that more research is needed to understand the reasons for the decline of native woodcock and the effects of shooting on their populations.

Defra intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season. In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season.

Data for the number of woodcock shot in each of the last ten years has not been collated. However, there are publicly available game bag returns for the period 1961-2005 through the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust website (https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/long-term-monitoring/national-gamebag-census/bird-bags-summary-trends/woodcock/). Where shooting occurs on protected sites, some bag return reports may be requirements of consent by Natural England.

In response to a request from Defra, Natural England has submitted a briefing to Defra which considered woodcock ecology, population status and possible drivers of woodcock decline (including hunting).

Defra intends to review Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which lists species of birds which may be killed or taken outside a close season. In particular, consideration will be given to the evidence underpinning the listing of species such as woodcock so that we can ensure that recreational shooting is sustainable and does not undermine species recovery. This may include a review of the evidence for the timing and duration of the close season.

Defra is working with Devolved Administrations, Arm’s Length Bodies and NGOs to monitor and respond to the effect of avian influenza on wild birds. This includes providing advice on mitigation measures that can be put in place to both protect public health and the impact on wild birds where possible. However, avian influenza is a natural transmission process in wild birds and there is limited evidence that mitigation measures are effective at reducing transmission of avian influenza between wild birds. We will, however, continue to take whatever action we can, in accordance with international best practice and the latest evidence.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) operates a robust programme of wild bird surveillance across Great Britain and engages in year-round avian influenza surveillance of dead wild birds submitted via public reports and warden patrols. Between 25 October 2021 and 22 July 2022, over 3,000 wild birds have been tested. Of these, 1454 have tested positive for H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). There have been findings in 347 different locations in 61 different species in 79 different counties. A report (updated weekly) of findings of HPAI in wild birds is published by APHA on GOV.UK together with outbreak and risk assessments. A copy of the 18 July outbreak assessment is attached to this answer

Unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza are being seen in both Great Britain and Europe as well as North America. In Great Britain there have been large numbers of deaths associated with positive findings of avian influenza in breeding populations of seabird species. Including those listed as GB Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC5) (copy attached). The impact on Roseate Terns (red-listed BoCC5 species) and Sandwich Terns (amber-listed BoCC5 species) colonies in particular are of significant concern.

The UK’s seabirds are an important part of our natural heritage, and their protection is a high priority for the government. Defra recognises the significant threat HPAI is posing to our seabird populations Further to the existing Joint Nature Conservation Committee Seabird Monitoring Programme, Natural England has set up a seabird reporting system to collate records of mortality levels in key seabird colonies which will be used to support assessments of the impact on populations and inform recovery programmes. Equivalent systems have been established in Wales and Scotland enabling data to be readily compared across the administrations.

Since 2019, the UK has been leading the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) of countries championing ambitious ocean action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the ‘30by30’ target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. The ocean has historically been underrepresented in the CBD, and the GOA plays an important role in raising the profile of ocean and marine issues.

In addition to leading the GOA, the UK also serves as Co-Chair of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature & People, alongside Costa Rica and France. The HAC champions 30by30 for both the land and the ocean. Between these two UK-led alliances, nearly 120 countries support 30by30 for the ocean, and over 100 countries support 30by30 for both the land and the ocean.

As we approach the 15^th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the CBD in December 2022, the UK will continue its proactive leadership role in both the GOA and HAC, working with Costa Rica, France, and members of both ambition groups, to call for the 30by30 target to be enshrined within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The UK is committed to securing an ambitious outcome at COP15, including ambitious outcomes for the ocean, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss globally by 2030. It is also crucial that we continue working after COP15 to support the global implementation of the GBF, including the 30by30 target.

We are therefore delighted that the UK, Costa Rica, and France published a joint communique during the Stockholm+50 conference in June 2022, outlining plans for the HAC for Nature and People to evolve into a new phase to support the implementation of the 30by30 target following COP15, and we welcome the opportunity this provides for further collaboration with the GOA both ahead of and post-COP15.

In addition, the UK continues to provide support for marine protection internationally, including through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund. The Blue Planet Fund, financed from the UK overseas aid budget, will support developing countries to protect and sustainably manage their marine resources and address human-generated threats across four key themes: biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution, and sustainable seafood.