Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.
Answered by George Eustice
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has held three meetings with, or involving, his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the practice of local authorities charging residents to dispose of DIY household waste.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
We have not carried out an assessment of these proposals. There is a long established precedent of free access for local residents to deposit household waste at household waste recycling centres. In 2015, the Government made an order prohibiting local authorities from charging householders to deposit household waste at civic amenity sites or household waste recycling centres.
Where local authorities charge for the deposit of non-household items at Household Waste Recycling Centres, this should be done in line with the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012. Where charges are proposed, they should be proportionate and transparent and made in consultation with local residents so that local services meet local needs.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
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 whether proposals by Norfolk County Council to introduce charges for DIY waste are compliant with his Department's policies on household waste; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
We have not carried out an assessment of these proposals. There is a long established precedent of free access for local residents to deposit household waste at household waste recycling centres. In 2015, the Government made an order prohibiting local authorities from charging householders to deposit household waste at civic amenity sites or household waste recycling centres.
Where local authorities charge for the deposit of non-household items at Household Waste Recycling Centres, this should be done in line with the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012. Where charges are proposed, they should be proportionate and transparent and made in consultation with local residents so that local services meet local needs.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 20 of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government's Litter Strategy for England, published in April 2017, what definition his Department uses for household waste; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The definition of household waste is set out in section 75(5) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In that Act, household waste means waste from domestic properties, caravans, residential homes and premises forming part of a university, school, other educational establishment, hospital or nursing home.
Schedule 1 to the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 further prescribes what types of waste should be treated as household waste, subject to the place where it is produced or the nature of the activity producing the waste.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October 2017 and December 2017.
Answered by George Eustice
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs held nine meetings with, or involving, his Chief Scientific Advisor between October 2017 and December 2017.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with the Chief Scientific Adviser in his Department in the last three months.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Ministers of his department meet regularly with departmental advisers, including the department’s Chief Scientific Adviser. Over a three month period, this covers a number of meetings varying in scope and personnel, and the department does not hold a central list of all such meetings.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many working days were lost due to mental illness in her Department in each of the last three years.
Answered by George Eustice
The number of working days lost in Defra due to mental illness in the last three years is as follows:
Year | Total |
June to July 2013/14 | 1519.40 |
June to July 2014/15 | 1966.91 |
June to July 2015/16 | 2374.62 |