Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the report by the European Environmental Agency Report entitled Environmental noise in Europe 2025, published on 23 June 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since leaving the EU, UK Governments have continued to undertake the noise mapping functions summarised for EU countries in this report. This is required by the Environmental Noise Regulations individually enacted into law by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the Environment and Climate Change Committee's recommendations published in its policy letter to her, dated 28 October 2025, on Waste Crime.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department is considering the Environment and Climate Change Committee's recommendations on waste crime and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the Access to Nature Green Paper.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has announced, as part of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, that we will bring forward an Access to Nature Green Paper within this Parliament to consult on proposals to improve and expand public access to the outdoors.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he will publish the formal response to Sir John Cunliffe's Independent Water Commission's final report.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government will respond to the recommendations in full via a White Paper, published later this year. The White Paper will outline the Government’s vision for the future of the water sector, marking the most fundamental reset to our water system in a generation.
Following this, we will introduce reforms through primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, and the environment.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of noise pollution to the economy.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Health Security Agency estimates that in 2018, around 100,000 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were lost in England due to road traffic noise, across the UK population. DALYs are an internationally recognised metric where one DALY represents the loss of one year of good health. A further 13,000 were lost from railway noise.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the deadline is for Thames Water to submit its annual review of its Water Resources Management Plan under section 37A of the Water Industry Act 1991.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Thames Water submitted its latest annual review of its Water Resources Management Plan on 30 June 2025. This review covers the period April 2024 to March 2025. The Environment Agency and Ofwat are currently scrutinising this report.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to increase the Environment Agency's budget for the maintenance of assets in Twickenham.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We inherited flood defences in their worst state on record. We’re investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 - 2025/26) to maintain, repair and build flood defences, and we have reprioritised £108 million of this funding into asset maintenance.
As part of this investment, we will refurbish Teddington Launch Lock and maintain Barge Lock whilst this refurbishment takes place. Twickenham is within the London Excluded Area. Under the Metropolis Management Amendment Act 1879, private owners of the flood defences in this area are responsible for their maintenance.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on the maintenance of assets in Twickenham.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We inherited flood defences in their worst state on record. We’re investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 - 2025/26) to maintain, repair and build flood defences, and we have reprioritised £108 million of this funding into asset maintenance.
As part of this investment, we will refurbish Teddington Launch Lock and maintain Barge Lock whilst this refurbishment takes place. Twickenham is within the London Excluded Area. Under the Metropolis Management Amendment Act 1879, private owners of the flood defences in this area are responsible for their maintenance.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 an assessment of the effectiveness of the Climate Resilience Board in coordinating climate resilience.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra, working with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, uses the Climate Resilience Steering Board (CRSB) to provide senior-level oversight and strategic direction to address and strengthen resilience to climate change related risks that threaten the UK economy, security, critical national infrastructure, and the life and health of its citizens.
The CRSB is well placed to provide and improve strategic responses to climate change across government. It carries out the coordination across Government that ensures climate risks to all sectors are monitored and key departmental actions are delivered that will combat the cross-cutting impacts of climate change.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
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 an assessment of the potential impact of (a) banning and (b) reducing the use of pesticides in public spaces on (i) the natural environment and (ii) wildlife.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of managing public spaces sustainably and its first priority is to ensure that pesticides do not harm human or animal health or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. A pesticide may only be placed on the market following a thorough risk assessment that concludes all safety standards are met. All professional pesticide users must minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the public, receive adequate training and register with Defra.
They are also encouraged to follow the principles of Integrated Pest Management, which aims to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides by making use of lower risk alternatives and promoting natural processes. The UK Pesticides National Action Plan sets out how the Government will continue to promote the sustainable use of pesticides. Local authorities are encouraged to identify innovative pesticide use solutions and share good practice.