Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help restore wetlands.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government has made a number of commitments which will help to restore our wetland habitats. Our Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) is underpinned by our legally binding Environment Act targets, including our apex target to halt species decline by 2030, and a commitment to create or restore over 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats, including wetland habitats, by 2042. We also aim to bring 75% of our Protected Sites to favourable condition by 2042; many wetlands are Protected Sites.
The UK is a member of the international Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Across the UK, including the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, we protect 175 internationally important Ramsar wetlands, which is more than any other country. As part of our commitment under Ramsar, we have committed to establishing a UK Wetland Inventory which involves mapping our wetlands for the first time and supporting future action to protect these vital habitats.
Our England Peat Action Plan sets out a strategic framework to improve management and protection of our peatlands, which are a kind of wetland. In our Plan for Water, we acknowledge the vital role that wetlands can play in Natural flood management (NFM) and are also actively using wetlands in our proposals for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which mimic natural water flow and are designed to reduce the impact of rainfall on new developments.
Additionally, we have launched 12 landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects over the past two years, and half of them include wetland habitat elements within their wilding mosaics. These include a 60,000-hectare Nature Recovery Project focusing on the Somerset Wetlands, with the 6,140-hectare super National Nature Reserve at its heart.
We are also encouraging the delivery of wetlands through our other schemes. Recent actions announced under our Environmental Land Management schemes include increased payments for the creation and management of wetlands; for example, payment for management of fen has increased from £35 per hectare to £920 per hectare. In addition to this, our multi-million-pound Species Survival Fund grant scheme will create and restore a range of habitat types, including wetlands. Together these projects will enhance connectivity, species recovery and resilience to climate change.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) produce centralised guidance and (b) provide training for (i) land managers, (ii) planning authorities and (iii) practitioners on how to create and manage wetlands for flood resilience.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural flood management (NFM) is a key part of our approach. As you mention, we acknowledge the vital role that wetlands can play as part of the suite of NFM measures, both in reducing flood risk and in delivering multiple other benefits.
We advocate the need for centralised NFM guidance and training that is relevant to all landscapes, including wetlands. The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) NFM Manual provides a step-by-step guide to natural flood management from identification through to implementation for a range of NFM measures. Wetlands are primarily covered in chapter 12 on floodplain reconnection.
In summer 2023, the Environment Agency surveyed NFM practitioners on their skills and training needs. The Environment Agency is now exploring training options.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the (a) biodiversity (b) native fish stocks (c) native insect populations and (d) native plant populations in UK rivers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
We recognise that rivers are an important national asset forming a key part of our natural environment by providing green and blue corridors along which biodiversity can flourish.
We are committed to recovering nature, including restoring our freshwater habitats, which is why we have now set four legally binding targets for biodiversity in England. By 2030 we have committed to halt the decline in species abundance and by 2042 we aim to reverse species decline; to reduce the risk of species extinction; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats.
Action towards these targets will drive essential improvements to our freshwater habitats. The indicator for our species abundance targets includes freshwater invertebrates, which are an indicator of the health of an overall water body, fish species and vascular plants. Wildlife-rich freshwater habitats, including rivers, will also be counted towards our habitats target. Restoration of these habitats will therefore be vital to delivery.
We are taking a broad range of actions to increase the biodiversity of our rivers in England. We will shortly be able to announce successful applicants to our 25-million-pound Species Survival Fund grant scheme, which we launched last year, which will create and restore a range of habitat types, including rivers.
Our Landscape Recovery scheme is aiming to provide over £40 million of funding for 56 projects. Projects under Round 1 are already underway and aiming to restore more than 600 km of rivers, including through the Adur River Restoration project and the Killerton Three Rivers Landscape Recovery project.
We are also rolling out Nature Recovery Projects across the country to create improved and better-connected habitats for wildlife. We have launched 12 landscape-scale projects over the past two years across over 200,000 hectares of habitat. Many of these projects are supporting riverine habitats, for example the Lost Wetlands project in Cheshire is using nature-based solutions to connect wetlands to their rivers, recover ghost ponds and create riverine woodlands.
Regarding fish stocks specifically, the Environment Agency funds projects that have a direct benefit to native fish populations. Fishing rod licence income is invested through the Fisheries Improvement Programme which includes barrier removal and fish passes. In 2022/23 the projects improved 52km of river, protected a further 20km and enhanced 237ha of Stillwater fisheries.
Asked by: Siobhan Baillie (Conservative - Stroud)
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 recommendation 4.10 in the Annex entitled Guidelines for the implementation of the wise use concept in the publication entitled Guidelines for development and implementing National Wetland Policies adopted by Resolution VII.6 of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, whether his Department plans to formulate a National Wetland Strategy.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The UK plays an active role to support and implement the conservation and wise use of wetlands through the Ramsar Convention. In England we are not currently planning to publish a separate National Wetland Strategy but have set out our plan to recover nature and restore our habitats and wetlands in the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23), as well as our England Peat Action Plan. We are also meeting our commitments under the Ramsar Convention, as laid out in our Environmental Improvement Plan and the National Adaptation Plan, through establishing a UK Wetland Inventory - mapping our wetlands for the first time and supporting future action to protect these vital habitats.
We recognise that wetland restoration will be critical to protect the vast number of wetland species as well as providing critical nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaption. By 2030 we have domestically committed to halt the decline in species abundance and by 2042 we aim to reverse species decline; to reduce the risk of species extinction; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites. Many wetlands are also Protected Sites, of which we have committed to restore 75% to favourable condition by 2042.
Alongside setting targets in other areas including water and air quality, we are taking targeted action to recover our wetlands. Our recently announced and government-supported Lost Wetlands Nature Recovery Project will reclaim, restore and rewet a mosaic of wetland habitats over 5,000ha in South Greater Manchester and North Cheshire, previously lost to industrialisation, urbanisation and agricultural intensification. Defra has also launched a 60,000-hectare Nature Recovery Project focusing on the Somerset Wetlands, with the 6,140-hectare super National Nature Reserve at its heart. These projects will enhance connectivity, species recovery and resilience to climate change.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve water quality in Solihull constituency.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Rivers in the West Midlands urban centres are affected by historical industrial development and physical modification of water courses and food plains. The Environment Agency (EA) has generously contributed to funding Warwickshire Wildlife’s Tame Valley Wetlands project. Working alongside Natural England, the project will enhance biodiversity and improve the ecological status of the River Blythe by creating a wide range of habitats on over 140 hectares of land within the River Blythe SSSI (Site of special Scientific Interest). The restoration work will include bank re-profiling, floodplain reconnection, in-channel habitat creation, invasive species management and the creation of new terrestrial habitats to enhance biodiversity.
Nationally, the Government published the Plan for Water in April 2023 – our comprehensive strategy for managing our water environment, including our rivers. It brings together the significant steps we have already taken with a suite of new policy actions. The Plan is underpinned by Increased investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement.
Asked by: Siobhan Baillie (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will support wetlands-focused research on barriers relating to (a) private finance for, (b) land use change affecting and (c) long-term management of wetland sites.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Government has a goal of stimulating at least £500m per year of private investment into nature recovery in England by 2027, rising to at least £1bn per year by 2030. Defra is putting in place interventions to set the conditions for this to happen, including publishing a nature markets framework, partnering with the British Standards Institute on nature investment standards, stimulating a pipeline of investable nature projects (including multiple projects in wetland areas), and enabling public funding for nature to crowd-in private investment.
The Government is also supporting eight blue finance projects with around £750,000 of grants through the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund. This funding is being used to develop a pipeline of projects that can demonstrate viable private-sector investment models, ultimately working to restore important coastal and marine habitats such as saltmarsh. Four of the five Protected Site Strategy Research and Development Pilots involve pressures affecting wetlands, including long-term management and financing, while Natural England is additionally progressing two projects on peatland National Nature Reserves on selling carbon using the Peatland Code.
Defra already supports a range of research projects relating to wetlands, including a recent collaboration with the British Trust for Ornithology modelling the impacts of different land use change scenarios on a range of wetland species. We also fund the Wetlands Bird Survey through grant in aid via JNCC. Through the UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, UK Administrations are working with DESNZ and Defra to address key research questions relating to blue carbon habitats.
Internationally, we provide regular financial and in-kind support to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention to promote the protection and wise use of wetlands.
Asked by: Siobhan Baillie (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to celebrate World Wetlands Day.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Yes, my Department will be marking World Wetlands Day, including through a variety of communications and engagement activities. Wetlands play a crucial role in sustaining life globally - they benefit water, food, livelihoods, climate, cultural pursuits, and biodiversity – and this day marks an opportunity to promote these benefits.
This year’s World Wetlands Day theme is ‘Wetland and human wellbeing’, reflecting that Wetlands positively impact mental wellbeing by promoting mindfulness and emotional balance through the connection to nature they provide and offer recreational opportunities, contributing to stress management and relaxation.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of remote terrain training of his Department's staff.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) provides remote terrain training to all its staff as part of its essential health and safety training to prepare it for operations at aircraft accidents in remote locations. The course is bespoke and designed specifically to address the mitigations of hazards that staff could experience when having to access and examine wreckage in remote locations including mountainous terrain, rivers and remote lowlands/wetlands as well as providing training on field first aid.
The training provision is regularly reviewed using feedback from the course and experience from accidents sites which is then used to adapt the course and any refresher training which is also provided at suitable intervals.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
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 ensure the preservation of green spaces within (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) the London Borough of Enfield and (c) London.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. We committed in our Environmental Improvement Plan to work across government to help ensure that everyone lives within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space.
The Government is delivering a number of policies to protect access to green spaces including in urban areas. Examples of these include:
In Enfield, Natural England is working with the Council in developing its local plan to create high quality places that tackle climate change, the nature emergency, inequalities, and promote health and well-being. This will also help Enfield to embed Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Standards into the plan and supporting documents.
In addition Enfield has been awarded £500,000 from the Landscape Recovery Scheme to support schemes to restore nature, reduce flood risks and boost biodiversity include creating hundreds of hectares of woodlands and grassland, wetlands and restore rivers and expanding the Enfield Chase Restoration Project. Natural England are also working with the London Borough of Enfield on a new Countryside Stewardship scheme.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 potential impact of nutrient neutrality mitigation schemes on (a) biodiversity and (b) carbon sequestration.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Nutrient mitigation can provide carbon and biodiversity benefits alongside other wider environmental benefits if the mitigation involves nature-based interventions such as wetlands or other habitat creation. Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme will continue to maximise the wider environmental benefits of nutrient mitigation in its new and expanded form; as well as seeking to promote innovative approaches to reducing nutrient pollution.