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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to support the monitoring of environmental lead contamination by conservation bodies in Buckinghamshire.

Under the Environment Improvement Plan, we provide long-term monitoring in England to assess and manage risk from substances known to be harmful, including lead. Trends for exposure of people and wildlife to harmful chemicals are set out in the Outcome Indicator Framework for the Environment Improvement Plan.

Minister Hardy recently announced a decision to restrict the use of lead in certain ammunition through UK REACH. This is now being taken forward, including how the restriction will be enforced and monitored. The Health and Safety executive, alongside the Environment Agency, will be responsible for monitoring this restriction.