Environment Act 2021: Implementation Mr Gagan Mohindra (South West
Hertfordshire) (Con) 1. What recent progress he has made on
implementing the provisions of the Environment Act 2021. The
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George
Eustice) May I begin by welcoming the new shadow Secretary of
State, the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon), to
his place? I am sure that, like all of us, he will find that the
rich and colourful...Request free trial
Environment Act 2021: Implementation
Mr (South West Hertfordshire)
(Con)
1. What recent progress he has made on implementing the
provisions of the Environment Act 2021.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
May I begin by welcoming the new shadow Secretary of State, the
hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (), to his place? I am sure
that, like all of us, he will find that the rich and colourful
diversity of the issues in the portfolio means that there is
never a dull moment. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport () for his two years in the
role.
Work on implementing the Environment Act is well under way. We
have started developing legally binding environmental targets,
consulted on measures to reform the way we deal with waste,
published a draft principles policy statement and published a
consultation on due diligence in supply chains. Finally, the
Office for Environmental Protection has been legally
established.
I thank the Secretary of State for those words. In my beautiful
constituency of South West Hertfordshire, as he will be aware, we
have some stunning chalk streams, including the rivers Chess,
Bulbourne and Gade, so I am glad to see the additional
protections that the Environment Act offers. I have monthly
meetings with Thames Water and related organisations. Can the
Secretary of State tell the House how he is working with private
companies to implement measures on limiting storm overflows?
I thank my hon. Friend for his work on the important issue of
improving water quality. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon.
Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (), shares his passion for
improving chalk streams in particular. We have made it clear to
water companies that they must significantly reduce sewage
discharges from storm overflows as a priority. We have set out
that expectation through the strategic policy statement for
Ofwat; we have also taken action to place it on a legislative
footing in the Environment Act.
(Inverclyde) (SNP)
As we look at improving the environment, have the Government
looked at the possibility of subsidising the growth of hemp,
which allows us to make environmentally friendly cloth and
biodegradable plastics and is a very good break crop for farmers
to incorporate?
I know that there are the benefits that he mentions from growing
hemp. Licences for medical hemp is an issue that the Home Office
leads on, but it is an interesting crop; more people are starting
to look at it and grow it. The hon. Gentleman raises an important
point.
(Kettering) (Con)
I welcome the proposals in the Act for biodiversity net gain,
with an obligation on developers to ensure that all new proposals
feature at least a 10% improvement in biodiversity. In the
guidance that the Secretary of State issues, will he ensure that
that obligation applies to planning applications that are already
in the pipeline, not just new applications?
My hon. Friend makes an important point. Biodiversity net gain
will be an important policy tool to support work in local nature
recovery strategies and make space for nature in new
developments. On his point about timing, I think the measure will
take effect in 2023 and will apply at that point to applications
going for determination when it is active.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Newport West) (Lab)
Fly-tipping incidents increased by 16% to March this year. The
number of enforcement actions has decreased in the same period
because of a lack of staff and resources. How does the Secretary
of State think that the implementation of the Environment Act
will ever improve those figures and clean up our country?
As the hon. Lady will know, we have a significant number of
staff—more than 10,000—in the Environment Agency. Waste crime and
fly-tipping have been a priority for them, and a number of
successful prosecutions have been brought.
Water Quality
(Devizes) (Con)
2. What steps he is taking to improve water quality.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
Improving water quality is a priority for this Government. We are
the first Government to work to tackle the historic issue of
storm overflows, including by placing a duty on water companies
through our landmark Environment Act 2021. That duty builds on
the expectation for the water industry to achieve a significant
reduction in harm from storm overflows, as laid out in our draft
strategic policy statement for Ofwat.
I am grateful for that and very much welcome it. The Secretary of
State will be aware that Morgan’s Hill in my constituency is the
source place for southern England; a drop of rain that falls
there could end up in the North sea, the English channel or the
Atlantic ocean. The Government are reviewing the mandate for
Ofwat. Will the Secretary of State confirm that Ofwat will be
directed to ensure that the water companies have the funding that
they need—that they can raise the funding that they need—to make
the necessary investments in infrastructure: not just the grey
concrete infrastructure, but the green nature recovery
infrastructure that is needed to clean our rivers?
My hon. Friend makes an important point. I can confirm that the
new draft strategic policy statement that we have issued to Ofwat
states that there is a clear priority around reducing storm
overflows and delivering our environmental outcomes. Yes, in the
next price review, such infrastructure will be at the top of its
list of priorities.
Landfill Sites: Toxic Air
(Blaydon) (Lab)
3. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the potential impact on (a) the environment and (b) public health
of toxic air from landfill sites.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
Ministers have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a
range of issues. We work with the Environment Agency when
necessary, and our chief scientific adviser engages with various
experts to consider any adverse impacts arising from landfill
sites.
My constituents have been plagued for many years by landfill
sites that often produce really foul smells, and many of them are
concerned about the health implications. Now that we are all much
more aware of air quality issues, will the Government take
further steps to review the advice issued by Public Health
England on toxic smells from these sites?
Only last week I visited a landfill site in Newcastle-under-Lyme,
and I know that it has a considerable impact on local
communities. I also know that the hon. Lady has campaigned
vigorously in respect of the site in Blaydon. We are now at the
point of capture and contain: the site is being capped and the
gases are being captured to prevent them from having that harmful
impact. The site was monitored between January and September
2020, and the fumes were not found to be above safe limits.
Farmers: Productivity
(Buckingham) (Con)
4. What steps he is taking to help farmers increase
productivity.
The Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food ()
There is great potential for farmers to continue to increase
productivity in an environmentally sustainable way. Last month we
launched the farming investment fund, which will encourage that
through, for instance, investment in new technology, new
equipment and small infrastructure projects.
I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s answer, and also for the time
that she took to visit farmers in my constituency last month. How
will the investment fund support agri-tech innovation, which is
surely a pathway to prosperity and profitability for
Buckinghamshire farmers?
The fund is broad, and we are willing to look at all sorts of
programmes within it. Some great solutions could include new
livestock feeds that might reduce methane emissions, robotics in
horticulture—I have seen some very good examples around the
country—and bio-fertilisers, which we are particularly interested
in developing at the moment.
(Angus) (SNP)
Far from helping farmers to increase productivity, this
Government are demonstrating their keen ability to get in the way
of productivity. We have a crisis in pig exports to China and
seed exports to Northern Ireland and the EU, there are export
health certificates for Scottish goods going to the EU but none
for the EU’s goods coming to Scotland, there are the tariffs on
jute sacks, and there is also the gross shortage and obscurity of
the availability of labour. Would the Minister like to apologise
to farmers in Scotland and say how she intends to improve this
dynamic?
I am indeed concerned about farmers in Scotland, but that is
because they are not benefiting from the revolution in
agricultural support that we are undertaking in this country, and
I am afraid that the Scottish Government are holding them
back.
Tree Planting
(Colne Valley) (Con)
5. What steps he is taking to promote tree planting.
(Harrow East) (Con)
14. What steps he is taking to ensure the planting of more
trees.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
We are committed to increasing tree planting to 30,000 hectares
per year across the United Kingdom by the end of this Parliament.
We are spending £750 million through the nature for climate fund
on trees, woodland and peat restoration in England.
The UK and Ireland’s “sourced and grown” standard preserves the
biosecurity of our woodland, as it ensures that trees are sourced
and grown solely within the UK and Ireland for their entire
lifespan. Following the Government’s biosecurity consultation,
can the Minister please reassure the House that the tree sourcing
standard will allow these future projects to be eligible for
Government funding?
I thank my hon. Friend for asking that important question. The
plant health management standard will be the future baseline
biosecurity standard for Government grants and contracts. That
comprehensive standard, with 23 robust biosecurity requirements,
covers the domestic production and international supply of all
plants. I know that this is important to my hon. Friend, because
the Colne Valley Tree Society is doing outstanding work.
I strongly support the provision of new trees, not only in
woodland and beyond but in urban and suburban settings. Will my
hon. Friend join me in praising the Trees for Streets project,
which is working across urban settings to encourage the provision
of trees in streets where residents can get involved not only in
planting trees but in nourishing them?
I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Harrow Council on being
one of the first councils in the country to join the Trees for
Streets project, which is funded by the green recovery challenge
fund. It aims to support the planting of 250,000 street trees
over the next 10 years, transforming our urban environment. The
national planning policy framework supports that; it promotes
street planting and makes clear the expectation that trees should
be incorporated into new developments, making our environment
better for us all.
(Strangford) (DUP)
The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland has encouraged all local
councils to adopt a tree strategy in order to adopt ambitious
tree planting targets. Will the Minister introduce a similar
scheme here on the UK mainland to encourage the idea of localised
tree planting in communities?
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave a few moments
ago, but I would be happy to talk to him further about what is
happening in Northern Ireland to see whether there are lessons to
be learned.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
Given that forestry is devolved, is not that 30,000 hectare
target a bit of a con trick? Scotland’s target is 18,000
hectares, so the actual UK target is closer to 10,000 hectares.
Why does the UK Government not step up, learn from Scotland and
put forward an ambitious tree planting target?
I am slightly surprised that the hon. Gentleman does not laud the
ambition to plant those 30,000 hectares. Having spoken to those
in Scotland, I would encourage the Scottish Government to get on
and grant people the permission to plant those trees.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Select Committee, .
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Minister was before the Select
Committee last week saying that 7,000 hectares of trees would be
planted in England by 2024. When planting those trees, we want
native trees that have been grown in this country so as not to
import disease. It takes three years to grow a tree, so we need
the nurseries to be told exactly what we need for 2024.
We are working hard to ensure that my hon. Friend has that
clarity and that we have that understanding in the area of
biosecurity. We want to ensure that everybody knows what the
rules are so that we can get on with improving the environment
and planting those trees.
Clean Air Bill
(Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)
7. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of
bringing forward a standalone clean air Bill.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
We know that air pollution is the greatest environmental hazard
to health, and we have taken significant action to clean up our
air. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are now at their lowest levels
since records began, but there is much more to do. The
Environment Act 2021 sets a clear duty to set new targets for air
quality, which is something that I am now working on.
People have a right to breathe good-quality clean air, regardless
of where they live. Greater Manchester’s clean air zone is set to
come into force in May next year, and it will go some way towards
tackling the atrocious levels of air pollution in the region.
However, the clean air zone will be effective only with
sufficient funding, so will the Minister confirm the Government’s
commitment to work closely with Greater Manchester to understand
the impacts of the clean air zone and assess the need for further
funding? To this end, will the Minister agree to a meeting?
As I have discussed with the hon. Gentleman prior to this, I
would be happy to have that meeting. I agree that we need to get
this right in Manchester and the broader Manchester area, and to
understand that the clean air zone works for everyone. The
Government have provided £132 million through our clean air fund
to support the retrofitting of buses and coaches and the
upgrading of heavy goods vehicles, private hire vehicles, hackney
carriages, vans and minibuses, mitigating the impact on
businesses and individuals. I would be happy to work with him,
because I will be looking for assurances on how the money is
spent and that it is being well spent on the people of Manchester
to clean their air.
Dog Theft
(Blackpool South) (Con)
8. What steps he is taking to tackle dog theft.
The Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food ()
The Government launched the pet theft taskforce earlier this
year, and it published its recommendations in September,
including the development of a new offence. I am pleased to say
this is now included in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill,
which has passed its Committee stage. I look forward to its
Report stage in the new year.
I welcome the Government’s taking animal cruelty seriously by
introducing a specific dog abduction offence to crack down on dog
theft. Cat owners have recently been more likely to purchase
high-value pedigree cats and, heartbreakingly, criminals are now
exploiting these cats and their owners, with cat theft rising
more than threefold in the last six years. What measures are the
Government taking to protect cats and to ensure there is no place
for animal cruelty in our society?
I am sympathetic to my hon. Friend’s point. The offence, as
currently drafted, includes the power to extend it to other
species. We are also taking other measures to protect cats,
including compulsory microchipping, which was announced last
week.
Food and Drink Exporters
(Dewsbury) (Con)
9. What steps he is taking to support food and drink
exporters.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
10. What steps he is taking to help agrifood businesses export
their goods.
The Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food ()
I am sure the whole House will join me in welcoming the news that
the US market is reopening its doors to UK lamb after two decades
of restrictions. We want people at home and abroad to line up to
buy British. We are establishing an export council and expanding
our network of agrifood attachés.
New Zealand currently exports £4.8 billion-worth of meat per
annum, including £1.8 billion-worth to the Muslim world via a
national scheme. Will the Minister agree to meet me and the
Minister for Exports, my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley and
Golders Green (), to discuss setting up a
similar UK-wide scheme that could potentially open up millions of
pounds’ worth of exports for our farming industry?
I would, of course, be delighted to meet my hon. Friend, as I
have in the past. He is a great trade envoy to Pakistan. We work
very closely on this with Ministers in the Department for
International Trade, and we see significant opportunities for
British agriculture in markets across the world, including the
US, Japan, India and the middle east. We will be well represented
at the Gulfood exhibition in February.
Exporting agrifood is fairly straightforward if it is wholly
produced in the UK. Where part of it is imported from the EU or
elsewhere, there are complicated rules of origin. What is the
Minister doing to improve the situation so that exporting becomes
much easier?
There is no doubt that the rules of origin are complicated. We
regularly meet our colleagues in the EU to discuss issues raised
by our exporters, and we work collaboratively to resolve them
where we can. We have also set up a new export support service to
help businesses navigate the EU’s requirements. I would be
delighted to meet any hon. Member who has a constituent with a
specific problem.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
Free trade agreements like the one with New Zealand are the
biggest contributor to British farmers needing to improve
productivity. What recent discussions has the Minister had with
colleagues across Government on protecting farmers’ interests in
future agreements? As I said, we work very closely with
colleagues, particularly in the Department for International
Trade, and I am confident they understand the issues raised by
our farmers.
Basic Payment Scheme: Farmers’ Income
(Richmond Park) (LD)
11. What steps he is taking to support farmers who will lose
income as a result of progressive reductions to the Basic Payment
Scheme.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
Farm incomes have grown significantly since 2016, as farm-gate
prices in sectors such as beef, sheep and arable have risen to
record highs. This Government are also delivering their manifesto
pledge to maintain the agriculture budget throughout this
Parliament but to spend it more effectively. Farmers will have
access to new funds next year to help them invest to reduce costs
and to manage their soil sustainably through our new sustainable
farming incentive.
We hear stories of landlords turfing out their tenant farmers
because the transition to the environmental land management
scheme makes it possible for them to receive payments directly
from the Government for rewilding or doing absolutely nothing,
which means that the farmers who are producing our food will not
have enough land to farm. So will the Minister tell me: how is it
possible for tenant farmers to survive if they lose a quarter of
their income now and are only getting a promise of a replacement
in seven years’ time?
We have designed the sustainable farming incentive so that it is
accessible to tenant farmers, and we have worked closely with the
Tenant Farmers Association on that. As is always the case, even
some of the agri-environment schemes we had while we were a
member of the EU would have been carried out by the landlord—some
of those investments and things such as land use change. However,
the farmer is the one who farms sustainably and can deliver these
projects, and so should be able to access the schemes.
(Stroud) (Con)
I had a useful meeting with Stroud farmers and the National
Farmers Union recently at a fantastic dairy farm that has
introduced state-of-the-art robotics and transformed its
practice. We all know, however, that even with fancy-pants
technology farmers work around the clock and that farm labour is
almost non-existent at the moment, so I was not surprised to hear
nerves about farmers finding time to apply for the new schemes
and getting their heads around them. What support is available
from the Department?
My hon. Friend makes an important point. Last year, we made some
funding available to a range of consultants and advisers across
the country to help support all farmers with the transition. That
advice is available, and I can write to her to make sure that she
can relay it to her constituents.
Floor Risk Management: Inner Cities
(Manchester, Withington)
(Lab)
12. What recent discussions he has had with the Environment
Agency on the adequacy of flood risk management in inner
cities.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
I regularly meet the chair of the Environment Agency to discuss
flood risk management, and indeed I spoke to its board yesterday.
We have doubled our investment in flood and coastal erosion
defence to £5.2 billion, to better protect 336,000 properties
across the country by 2027. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman
will welcome investment, for instance, in the new flood storage
areas on the River Mersey, which were vital to reducing the risk
to vulnerable communities during Storm Christoph earlier this
year.
That is welcome, because in my constituency we found out that
this is a growing problem this time last year, when we
narrowly—by 2 cm—averted a disastrous flooding incident in
Chorlton and Didsbury when the Mersey flooded. What is the
Department’s assessment of the state of readiness in general of
flood defences and flood response services as we go into the peak
winter storm season?
I discussed this issue with the Environment Agency board
yesterday. It is that time of year when being alert to flood risk
is absolutely at the top of our priorities, and I visited the
flood response centre at Horizon House in Bristol earlier in the
autumn. So we stand ready; sadly, we have got quite used to flood
response, but we have a good team responding to this now and they
are ready for anything the winter might throw at them.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the shadow Minister and welcome him to the
Dispatch Box in his new position. I call .
(Leeds North West)
(Lab/Co-op)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
On Boxing day 2015, many town and city centres were devastated by
floods. Spending on national flood defences is, in fact, 10% down
on what it was in 2015. With increased storm events, how will the
Minister defend residential and business properties with adequate
climate adaptation this winter?
First, may I apologise for my oversight in not welcoming the hon.
Gentleman to his place at the beginning of this session?
We have made available £5.2 billion, and this is a significant
increase in the capital programme over the next few years.
Included in that is some dedicated work on property resilience,
where we are working with communities and flood forums locally to
identify how we can improve the resilience of individual
properties and, when there is a flood incident, to make grants
available to them so that they can replace some of their doors in
order to be more flood-ready in future.
Plastic Pollution
(Gedling) (Con)
13. What steps he is taking to tackle plastic pollution.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs ()
We have banned plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds; carrier
bag sales are down by 95% in main supermarkets, and we have
extended our move on that issue to all businesses; and we are
consulting on banning single-use plastic plates and cutlery and
exploring how we tackle the scourge of wet wipes, sachets and
other items. The Environment Act 2021 gives us a framework for
extended producer responsibility, deposit return schemes and
greater consistency in recycling, to help drive down plastic
waste.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her answer. It has been said
that the UK is one of the most significant plastic waste
producers: each year it produces 99 kg of plastic waste per
person, compared with 88 kg in South Korea and 81 kg in Germany.
My constituents Amy and Ella Meek have set up the charity Kids
Against Plastic to help to raise awareness in schools, and I am
due to speak with them on a panel later today. Does my hon.
Friend agree that it is the responsibility of us all to reduce
our plastic waste output?
Hear, hear—I agree absolutely and thank my hon. Friend for
highlighting the excellent work of Amy and Ella Meek and their
Kids Against Plastic charity. I wish my hon. Friend well on the
panel this afternoon and congratulate them and others who are
taking action against plastic and raising awareness in schools.
It is the responsibility of us all to reduce, repair, reuse and
recycle. We must get on with reducing plastic waste.
Topical Questions
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
()
Each year, the UK faces a seasonal risk of the incursion of avian
influenza associated with migratory wild birds. Although we have
that threat each year, this year we are seeing the largest-ever
outbreak of avian influenza in the UK, with 36 confirmed
cases—the largest number since last year, when we had 26. We have
put in place an avian influenza prevention zone, which came into
force on 3 November in England and on 17 November in Northern
Ireland, and an additional housing order was introduced on 29
November. Our chief veterinary officer continues to lead the
response to this episode.
The replacement of bureaucratic and burdensome EU red tape with
modern, nimble, digital UK alternatives, without compromising
food or environmental standards, should be one of the biggest and
most important opportunities following Brexit. What plans does my
right hon. Friend have to introduce the “better regulation”
proposals in my Government-commissioned “Power to the people”
report, and when?
I thank my hon. Friend for his work on that report, which he and
I have discussed many times. There are many things in his report
that we do indeed intend to take forward.
Mr Speaker
I welcome to his new position as shadow
Secretary of State.
(Oldham West and Royton)
(Lab/Co-op)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
The devastation caused by Storm Arwen was significant. Even a
week later, more than 20,000 homes in the north of England were
left without power, and some with very little on-the-ground
support. This was a national emergency that required a national
effort, yet it took a full week before it was declared a major
incident and it was a full week before the military were called
in. Given that those most impacted were those in rural
communities, and given the Secretary of State’s overarching
responsibility for those communities, will he inform the House of
when he visited those communities and what he took away from
that?
My colleague the Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food visited
those areas last week and saw some of the devastation. The hon.
Gentleman is right that there has been severe devastation and a
tragic loss of many trees in those areas. There have been
particular challenges in respect of power disruption; my
colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy obviously lead on getting that power back, and I know
they have been working hard to ensure the issue is addressed.
Let us be absolutely clear: this was a national emergency but a
Cobra meeting was not called; the Prime Minister was missing in
action; and now we discover that the Secretary of State was
missing in action. Instead of supporting the affected
communities, the Government were bogged down here in London
defending a dodgy Christmas party while hard-working people in
the north of England could not even turn on the Christmas lights.
Ofgem has announced a narrow review of the response by grid
networks, but the situation requires the Government to take
charge and carry out a full review, including of their own
response. Will the Secretary of State apologise for not taking
the time to visit and commit to a full and proper review?
As I said, the Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food did visit
and she held meetings with farmers to discuss their concerns. I
have had raised with me issues such as damage to fencing and some
of the problems that has caused for farmers. I know that my
colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy have been working hard on the key issue of power
disruption.
(Penrith and The Border)
(Con)
T2. It is so important that we uphold our high animal
welfare and food production standards not only in international
trade deals but in our domestic public sector food procurement.
The Government buying standards for food and catering services
currently still provide an exemption from meeting the standards
if that would increase costs. Will my right hon. Friend update
the House on when the Government will close this glaring
loophole, as we on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Committee have recommended?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for his passion for
campaigning on these issues. We have made a number of
improvements to Government procurement over the years, including
introducing the so-called balanced scorecard some five years ago.
There is more that can be done, and I will certainly look in
great detail at this particular proposal that has come from him
and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson, Deirdre Brock.
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(SNP)
I welcome the new shadow Minister and the new shadow Secretary of
State to their places. I commend the shadow Secretary of State’s
predecessor, because I always found him a very diligent,
knowledgeable and collegiate opposite number, and I look forward
to working with the new team in the same vein.
After our exit from the EU, agricultural support for our farmers
is changing throughout the UK, but support levels remain higher
in Scotland than in England, and farming improvements are
encouraged and promoted through our direct payment scheme. Will
the Minister confirm that the UK Government will not, under any
circumstances, attempt to use the United Kingdom Internal Market
Act 2020 or the forthcoming Subsidy Control Bill to undermine
agricultural support in Scotland, or attempt to lower it to the
levels in England?
We set out, through our schedule at the World Trade Organisation,
the so-called aggregate market support that is available for
these things, and that does not provide any particular
constraint. Agriculture policy is devolved and so it is for each
part of the UK to decide what policy works best for its own part
of the UK.
(West Worcestershire)
(Con)
T3. On behalf of the small cider producers in West
Worcestershire, may I thank the Secretary of State for the
representations that he has made to the Chancellor about the
taxation regime? Is he also making representations on behalf of
the larger, more traditional cider makers with the stronger
ciders who may be adversely affected by the tax changes?
I am aware that my hon. Friend lives in a part of the country,
and represents a constituency, famous for its ciders. I would be
more than happy to meet with her and any of those businesses to
discuss any particular concerns that they have, although she will
understand that alcohol duties are very much a matter for the
Treasury.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
My constituents were horrified to learn just how much sewage is
dumped into Newcastle’s waterways during hundreds and hundreds
and hundreds of hours each year. Instead of the meaningless
progressive reductions that the Government are currently
proposing, when will they ban the dumping of sewage so that my
constituents can enjoy the glorious River Tyne in all its natural
beauty and safety?
Earlier this year, we published the direction—the strategic
policy plan—for Ofwat, which requires it to prioritise reducing
the use of these combined sewer overflows and to secure the
funding through the pricing review to deliver that.
(Blackpool South) (Con)
T4. In Blackpool’s Stanley Park, 15 swans died last month
following an outbreak of a deadly bird flu virus. Sadly, over the
past month, avian flu has been found in several areas across the
UK, and further cases have been confirmed this week. I am
grateful to the Secretary of State for his update on this issue a
few moments ago. Will he arrange for me to meet with officials in
his Department so that I can discuss this particular issue in
Blackpool?
My hon. Friend makes a good point. My noble Friend is leading on this issue and I
will ensure that he can have that conversation. As I have said,
we are following this closely, and the chief veterinary officer
is leading our response.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
When will the Secretary of State wake up and take a lead on
sustainability? We have talked about clean air and clean water,
but we need every town and city in this country to be sustainable
for communities. When will he join our campaign for 500
sustainable towns, cities and communities? Moreover, will he stop
dodging “Farming Today” and not appearing on the show?
I regularly appear on “Farming Today”, as do my ministerial
colleagues.
The issue that the hon. Gentleman raises specifically is
addressed through the Environment Act 2021, which has just been
passed into law. We now have biodiversity net gain, which very
much relates to local authorities, making sure that we have
sustainable growth and space for nature in every part of our
country.
(Lichfield) (Con)
Although hon. Members on both sides of the House are justified in
saying that it took a long time to restore power following Storm
Arwen, is the Minister aware that when Storm Sandy hit the east
coast of the United States, it took six months to restore power
in some parts of southern Manhattan?
My hon. Friend makes a good point. A storm of this scale, which
brings down this number of trees, can cause significant damage to
infrastructure. We should pay tribute to the work that many
engineers would have been doing around the clock to try to
restore power.
(Newport East) (Lab)
Wetlands, such as the RSPB’s Newport wetlands, are one of the
best nature-based solutions for the climate, biodiversity and
wellbeing challenges that we face, so what steps are Ministers
taking to restore and create wetlands, as Government advisers
have recommended?
Some of this work will be taken forward in coastal areas through
our agriculture policy. We are also looking at protected sites
more generally and the work that we can do in wetland areas.
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