Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the report by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales entitled Homes fit for the future: the retrofit challenge, published in July 2021, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of that report's recommendation that the UK Government should provide £3.6 billion of funding over 10 years to help decarbonise and improve the quality of Welsh homes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The promotion of energy efficiency is devolved to Wales. The Welsh Government provides funding for home energy efficiency improvements.
The UK Government works with the Welsh Government in respect of regulatory measures providing funding for energy efficiency, including the Energy Company Obligation which covers Wales, and the forthcoming £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme, which could save around 300,000 of the least energy efficient homes £300-£400 each year.
The UK Government recently announced the extension of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme until 2028, to support the installation of heat pumps in domestic and small non-domestic buildings in England and Wales.
Asked by: Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and West Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Natural England on supporting the value of traditional farming and the social and cultural capital of its communities supported by upland farming in a manner that encourages the promotion of each.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England’s role is to help conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations in a way that contributes to sustainable development. We hold regular discussions with Natural England to support this aim.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2023 to Question 161241 on Broadband, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the 90.6% figure on the international competitiveness of technology businesses in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Gigabit-capable networks can deliver the broadband services that businesses will rely on for decades to come, paving the way for new developments in commerce, trade and society and bringing benefits including improved productivity, jobs and economic growth.
Our £5 billion Project Gigabit is about future-proofing the broadband needs for generations to come.
The most recent summary of evidence of the benefits of high-speed broadband supported through government programmes is at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/superfast-broadband-programme-synthesis-and-process-evaluation-reports-2021. Further evaluations of the impacts of gigabit broadband will be published during the period of deployment of Project Gigabit.
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of ash trees that were felled in England in each year between 2012 and 2022.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not collect data on the number of individual ash trees that have been felled, including those affected by ash dieback, but between May 2018 and February 2023, the Forestry Commission has recorded a total of 7271 felling licence applications containing ash (making up a component of the trees planned for felling). The felling licence system in operation prior to May 2018 does not allow the species breakdown to be reported.
The number of approved felling licences with ash since May 2018 are as follows:
Year | Total |
2018 | 370 |
2019 | 1433 |
2020 | 1548 |
2021 | 1855 |
2022 | 1752 |
2023 | 313 |
Grand Total | 7271 |
However, precise estimation is challenging because felling in some circumstances, such as when public safety is at risk, does not require a felling license, and the issuing of a felling license does not come with an obligation to conduct the felling works.
Where appropriate, approved felling licences carry legally enforceable restocking conditions to ensure any trees felled are replaced using suitable means and to ensure tree and woodland cover is maintained for future generations.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Office for Environmental Protection's Progress in improving the natural environment in England: 2021 to 2022, published on 19 January, which concluded on the 25 Year Improvement Plan that "of 23 environmental targets assessed, none were found where Government’s progress was demonstrably on track", what steps they are taking to improve progress against those targets.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 31st January 2023 we completed our first statutory review of the 25 Year Environment Plan and published the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). EIP23 sets out a delivery plan for how we will deliver our goals and targets to achieve our long-term ambition to leave the environment in a better state for future generations.
To monitor the delivery of EIP23, the Government will report annually on implementation. To do this, we will continue to publish an Annual Progress Report setting out the progress we have made towards the targets and wider commitments, over the previous 12 months.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 adequacy of funding to local authorities on achieving targets set out in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The delivery of the Environment Act 2021 statutory targets does not place a specific burden on local authorities but will require a shared endeavour from government, local authorities, business and the individual decisions we all make. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have ensured a robust legal framework to hold current and future governments to account, protecting nature for generations to come.
We continue to engage with local authorities on specific targets and to assess any support they need in their delivery.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding provided to local authorities for meeting the targets set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, published on 31 January 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The delivery of the Environment Act 2021 statutory targets does not place a specific burden on local authorities but will require a shared endeavour from government, local authorities, business and the individual decisions we all make. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have ensured a robust legal framework to hold current and future governments to account, protecting nature for generations to come.
We continue to engage with local authorities on specific targets and to assess any support they need in their delivery.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding provided to local authorities for meeting the targets set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, published on 31 January 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The delivery of the Environment Act 2021 statutory targets does not place a specific burden on local authorities but will require a shared endeavour from government, local authorities, business and the individual decisions we all make. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have ensured a robust legal framework to hold current and future governments to account, protecting nature for generations to come.
We continue to engage with local authorities on specific targets and to assess any support they need in their delivery.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding provided to local authorities for meeting the targets set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, published on 31 January 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The delivery of the Environment Act 2021 statutory targets does not place a specific burden on local authorities but will require a shared endeavour from government, local authorities, business and the individual decisions we all make. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have ensured a robust legal framework to hold current and future governments to account, protecting nature for generations to come.
We continue to engage with local authorities on specific targets and to assess any support they need in their delivery.
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 assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding to local authorities for meeting targets set out in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The delivery of the Environment Act 2021 statutory targets does not place a specific burden on local authorities but will require a shared endeavour from government, local authorities, business and the individual decisions we all make. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have ensured a robust legal framework to hold current and future governments to account, protecting nature for generations to come.
We continue to engage with local authorities on specific targets and to assess any support they need in their delivery.