Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department monitors the impact of artificial light levels on wildlife in (a) Merseyside and (b) the UK.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Our legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 underlines our ambition to protect wildlife across all areas of the UK, including Merseyside.
Artificial light offers valuable benefits for safety and amenity. Defra has funded or co-funded national and international assessments of drivers of change on insects and wider biodiversity such as the global IPBES Assessment Report on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production. This report notes that the effects of artificial light in general on nocturnal insects may be growing.
Defra has worked with other government departments to ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution on local amenities, dark landscapes and nature conservation. Our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have some of the best dark skies across Great Britain and attained some of the earliest designations in Europe. Seven of our parks have secured protected dark sky status and we are committed to conserving and celebrating this wonderful experience for all.
HM Government has not made any specific assessment of the impacts of light pollution on insect (or wider wildlife) population trends, but we will continue to work with partners including leading scientists to review the latest studies and ensure we continue to address key threats to biodiversity.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
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 estimate of the number of rhinos in sub-Saharan Africa.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The UK Government does not undertake its own assessments of rhinoceros populations. The African Rhino Specialist Group, part of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission, collects rhinoceros population statistics and analyses trends. Recent population estimates were submitted to the 19th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which took place in November 2022.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
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 the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about the impact of light pollution on insect populations; and what steps the Government is taking to reduce light pollution in (a) urban, (b) suburban and (c) rural areas.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Artificial light offers valuable benefits for safety and amenity. Defra has worked with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution on local amenity, dark landscapes and nature conservation. Our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have some of the best dark skies across Great Britain and attained some of the earliest designations in Europe. Seven of our parks have secured protected dark sky status and we are committed to conserving and celebrating this wonderful experience for all.
Defra has funded or co-funded national and international assessments of drivers of change on insects and wider biodiversity such as the global IPBES Assessment Report on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production. This report notes the effects of artificial light in general on nocturnal insects may be growing.
HM Government has not made any specific assessment of the impacts of light pollution or changes in spectrum on insect population trends. We will continue to work closely with researchers, NGOs and across HM Government to improve our understanding of the impacts of light pollution
Protecting insects is a priority, and we are taking action to support them and the wider natural environment of which they are a vital component. Our legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 underlines our ambition.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with her counterpart in Pakistan on the treatment of performing bears.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
HM Government remains focused on delivering the Action Plan for Animal Welfare published on 12 May 2021. The Action Plan for Animal Welfare demonstrates the Government's commitment to animal welfare, both at home and abroad, and also provides a foundation for conversations on how we can improve animal welfare and conservation in the future. The UK Government has previously raised the welfare of animals at Islamabad Zoo, including the welfare of two bears, with the Government of Pakistan. The UK Government is also at the forefront of international efforts to protect endangered animals from poaching and illegal trade.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is his policy to agree a global high seas treaty that includes increased powers for the Conference of Parties before the fifth session of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps with international counterparts to agree a global high seas treaty before the fifth session of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.
Asked by: Peter Aldous (Conservative - Waveney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to agree a global high seas treaty that includes a legally-binding mechanism for the designation of marine protected areas on the high seas before the fifth session of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
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 her Botswanan counterpart on the levels of rhino poaching in that country.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Secretary of State has not discussed the levels of rhino poaching with her counterpart in the Botswana Government. However, officials met with the Botswana delegation, including the Minister of Environment and Tourism, ahead of and during the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES COP19). Discussions covered a range of important biodiversity issues, including sustainable conservation and the challenges facing local communities living alongside large animals.
Asked by: Chris Grayling (Conservative - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proposals his Department will be making for the proposed High Seas Biodiversity Treaty; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to agree a global high seas treaty that includes a legally-binding mechanism for the designation of marine protected areas on the high seas before the fifth session of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.