The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the European Commission on its programme of cinema advertising to promote the Common Agricultural Policy.
George Eustice
No such discussions have taken place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Stanley on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether parish councils and town councils are eligible to apply for flood and coastal erosion risk management grant-in-aid.
Dan Rogerson
Defra flood and coastal erosion risk management grant-in-aid is only available to a risk management authority, as defined by section 6(13) of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. If a parish council or town council wish to progress a flood management scheme they should contact the lead local flood authority for the area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management staff counted under the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management cost-heading at the Environment Agency have been redeployed to inspect flood defence assets in each of the last five months.
Dan Rogerson
The Environment Agency has not redeployed any non–flood and coastal erosion risk management staff to inspect flood risk management assets in the last five months. The Environment Agency only uses fully trained staff to inspect assets and has trained and used 200 armed forces personnel for this purpose.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of flood management assets have been inspected in each year since 2008-09.
Dan Rogerson
Since 2008/9 the Environment Agency has inspected all of its flood risk management assets on a risk based programme. The highest risk assets are inspected every six months, medium risk assets every 12 to 18 months, low risk assets every 24 to 36 months and very low risk assets every 60 months. The Environment Agency currently has around 150,000 flood risk management assets. In March 2014 the Environment Agency carried out a full inspection of all flood risk management assets using military personnel.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the findings of his Department’s root and branch review of the environmental information required from businesses; and when he plans to publish plans for implementing changes to those requirements.
Dan Rogerson
Initial findings of Defra’s root and branch review of the environmental information required from businesses were published on the Smarter Guidance and Data website last November. Findings for marine and carbon information obligations followed in February. These findings can be found at guidanceanddata.defra.gov.uk. I have placed copies in the library of the House.
An implementation plan outlining reform measures for environmental information required from businesses is due to be published on 9 April. This implementation plan will be available on www.gov.uk. Remaining measures featuring farming-related information obligations are due to be published in June.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish a report on the implementation of the Department’s anaerobic digestion strategy and action plan for 2013-14.
Dan Rogerson
We intend to publish a further report on implementation of the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department will (a) complete and (b) publish its review of the Chalara Management Plan; and if he will make a statement.
Dan Rogerson
The Government will publish an updated management approach to Chalara alongside updated management approaches to other established tree pests and diseases, and those that pose an imminent threat, in a single Tree Health Management Plan. This Plan will set out the action that the Government and others are taking to protect our tree population from pests and diseases. It will be published alongside the wider Plant Biosecurity Strategy later this spring.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government’s report into the condition of all flood defence assets following the winter floods will be published; and if he will make a statement.
Dan Rogerson
The Government’s report into the condition of flood defence assets will be published when the results of the national assessment have been analysed by the Environment Agency. This is currently expected to be May.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Met Office report, Too Hot, Too Cold, Too Wet, Too Dry: Drivers and impacts of seasonal weather in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Dan Rogerson
Both of these reports make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the impacts of climate change. We are considering them with keen interest and will take full account of them when we publish the UK’s next Climate Change Risk Assessment, which in turn will inform the next National Adaptation Programme report.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2014-04-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 31 March 2014 on Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability; and if he will make a statement.
Dan Rogerson
Both of these reports make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the impacts of climate change. We are considering them with keen interest and will take full account of them when we publish the UK’s next Climate Change Risk Assessment, which in turn will inform the next National Adaptation Programme report.