Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

A vast new ‘super nature reserve’, spanning the world-famous Cheddar Gorge and the Mendip Hills and encompassing some of the country’s most precious habitats, has been created today (19 October).

The declaration of the new Mendip ‘super’ National Nature Reserve (NNR) by Natural England and partners will conserve and help restore over 1,400 hectares of steep limestone slopes, traditional wildflower grasslands, ancient wooded combes, spectacular gorges and rocky outcrops. It will bring together 31 existing nature reserves and more than 400 hectares of new land which will now be managed primarily for conservation, as well as creating more space greater access to nature for local people.

The Mendips are home to a variety of wildlife such as the nationally endangered lesser and greater horseshoe bats, adder, skylark, water vole, hazel dormouse, small pearl-bordered fritillary, black oil beetle, including endemic plants such as Cheddar pink and the nationally rare little robin and purple gromwell.

Creating larger more joined-up spaces for nature is crucial to halting its decline and bringing about an increase in populations. The site will cover the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stretching from woodlands in England’s smallest city of Wells, across the southern Mendip slopes and plateau and reaching right out to Brean Down in the Severn estuary.

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

Today’s declaration of the new Mendip National Nature Reserve is a huge step for Nature recovery, not just in Somerset but the country as a whole. This treasure trove of ancient woodlands, rich wildflower grasslands and stunning geology is of great national importance and sustains a huge variety of wildlife. There are birds, small mammals, rare butterflies and plants that are found only here.

Creating this new National Nature Reserve will be a step along the road of enhancing the biodiversity of the Mendip Hills – making it a bigger, better and more joined up place for wildlife to thrive.” It also gives even more opportunities for the local community and visitors to connect with Nature, history and the local heritage.

Nature Minister Trudy Harrison says:

This is an important step for people and nature recovery. It will enable precious species to flourish by supporting wildlife corridors and protecting ecologically significant landscapes, such as the iconic gorges and ancient woodlands in the Mendip area. Much of this landscape also hugs the Mendip Way, making it truly accessible for local people and visitors.

This landmark declaration will support our ambitious plans to halt and reverse nature’s decline, as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.

The site is the second in the new King’s Series of National Nature Reserves. The Series will see the creation of five major National Nature Reserve declarations every year for the next five years – 25 in total.

The announcement today also supports the Government’s delivery on its Environmental Improvement Plan and key Environment Act targets to halt the decline in our wildlife populations and increase species abundance.

Along with Natural England, Mendip Hills AONB, the National Trust, Longleat/Cheddar Gorge Caves, Somerset and Avon Wildlife Trusts, Butterfly Conservation, the Woodland Trust and the South West Heritage Trust are all working in partnership to manage the National Nature Reserve with a shared objective for nature recovery.

Multi-party National Nature Reserves such as Mendip are increasing in number, bringing together the skills, knowledge and long term commitments of different organisations to deliver the three purposes of the designation: nature conservation, environmental science and public access, enjoyment and engagement.

Further supporting quotes:

Lord Bath of Longleat Estate said:

Cheddar Gorge is one of Britain’s most spectacular natural landmarks, comprising a large and significant part of the Mendip Hills’ footprint and bio connectivity. As a private landowner of part of this special piece of Britain, we take our responsibility as custodians extremely seriously. Through the Cheddar Gorge and Caves enterprise, we work to attract many people to this area to enjoy and experience this outstanding part of the world. In addition, we work tirelessly to ensure this amazing mosaic of land is conserved for future generations of visitors to enjoy and populations of diverse wildlife to thrive.

The formation of the new National Nature Reserve is a ground-breaking opportunity for conservation and land management. We look forward to making a real impact together with the other partners, not least for the species that are native to these habitats – from greater crested newts to dormice, and the extremely rare plants that flourish in abundance in our unique pocket of land.

Nigel Garnsworthy, National Trust Somerset Countryside Manager, says:

The National Trust and its partners have been working for many years to maintain a healthy, resilient landscape buzzing with wildlife across the Mendip Hills and the NNR declaration is testament to that success. We are excited about the chance to work in closer collaboration to make a positive difference for nature and climate and ensure the special Mendip wildlife is benefitting from habitats that are bigger, in better condition and better connected.

Ross Kennerley, The Woodland Trust’s South West Regional Director states:

The Woodland Trust is delighted that Dolebury Warren is going to be included in this NNR. It forms part of a continuous area of woodland stretching for many miles across the Mendip slopes. The creation of the NNR will strengthen the partnership approach to nature recovery and support the expansion and good management of these woodlands, so they are part of a thriving landscape for people and nature.

Dr Dan Hoare, Director of Conservation, Butterfly Conservation, said:

With the majority of the UK’s butterfly and moth species in decline, and climate change and biodiversity loss threatening to push them closer to the brink, now is the time to come together and tackle these challenges at a landscape scale. Increasing the protection for our most precious sites, and ensuring we work together to make them bigger, better and more joined up, is crucial to recover species and restore the habitats they depend on.

Rachael Fickweiler, Head of Nature Reserves and Land Management at Somerset Wildlife Trust, said:

Bringing together landowners and land managers to collaborate on a landscape-scale approach across the sites included in the new Mendip ‘super’ NNR is the best way to achieve nature’s recovery and our 30 by 30 ambitions for land under good management for nature. This is essential if we are to tackle the challenges we face, including climate change and the adaptation needed to respond to this threat to key Mendip species such as the adder and greater horseshoe bat; and issues such as the devastating impact that ash dieback disease has had on our Mendip trees and woodlands.

Ian Barrett, Chief Executive at Avon Wildlife Trust said:

We’re very excited to collaborate with partner organisations to be part of this new super National Nature Reserve in the Mendips. By working together across this beautiful landscape, we are helping to help enable nature’s recovery across the region so that much loved wildlife can survive and thrive.”

Jim Hardcastle, manager of Mendip Hills AONB, said:

This declaration publicly recognises how special the wildlife sites are on the south facing slopes of the Mendip Hills. The new National Nature Reserve will show how all the land managers can work together to help nature recover with the involvement of locals and visitors.

The early payments, worth 25% of the annual value of farmers’ agreements, have been made just a month after the start of applications.

Every farmer whose agreement started on 1 October 2023 has received the payment which will help to improve cashflow and make sure SFI works for their farm business.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive pays farmers in England to take actions that support food production, farm profitability and resilience, whilst protecting and enhancing the environment.

The SFI offer for 2023 has already received record interest from farmers around the country, including farmers who have had agreements under SFI 2022. There have been over 14,000 registrations of interest and almost 1,000 applications submitted offered since the scheme started accepting applications.

From the end of this week, the majority of farmers will no longer need to submit registrations of interest and will be able to apply directly online, simplifying the application process. Those farming on commons should continue to express their interest with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) who can support them to get ready to apply.

Secretary of State for Food and Farming Thérèse Coffey said:

I am delighted by the number of agreements that are already in place for the 2023 Sustainable Farming Incentive and that farmers are now being paid. I encourage all farmers to get involved and see what the scheme can offer your farm business.

We are engaging with farmers and taking onboard their feedback to continually improve the scheme, including delivering on our commitment to introduce early payments and taking steps to simplify the application process.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

It’s been fantastic to see the enthusiasm with which farmers have embraced the latest SFI offer, and we are supporting them by delivering faster payments than ever before.

SFI has something on offer for every type of farmer, and we will be processing applications as quickly as possible to get more payments into pockets this year and help farmers improve their cash flow.

Paul Caldwell, Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency, said:

We understand the importance of cashflow for farmers and hope the measures we have taken will assist in making a difference at an important time.

We are continuing to work hard on getting more and more farmers involved in SFI.

The government will continue to make improvements to our Environmental Land Management schemes to ensure they work best for farmers, such as bringing forward early payments in a way which would not have been possible under the Common Agricultural Policy.

The 2023 offer has been expanded and made more flexible in response to farmer feedback with over 23 paid-for actions now on offer including improving hedgerows, nutrient management, farmland wildlife and low input grassland. Other improvements mean that farmers can choose what combination of actions are right for them – unlike previously where actions were grouped into standards.

• UK-wide consultation launched to ban wet wipes containing plastic
• Proposed ban will tackle plastic pollution in marine environment and reduce microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants
• Proposal delivers on the UK Government’s Plan for Water, delivering more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement across the water system

A consultation on banning wet wipes containing plastic across the UK has been launched today under plans to tackle plastic pollution and clean up our waterways (14 October 2023).

A key measure in the UK Government’s Plan for Water, the ban forms part of the government’s ongoing work to ensure there is more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement across the water system, helping tackle plastic and microplastic pollution and improve water quality.

Wet wipes containing plastic break down into microplastics over time, which can be harmful to the environment and human health. Banning wet wipes containing plastic would help alleviate this issue, as well as reducing the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants when wrongly flushed.

Alternatives to wet wipes containing plastic are already available, with a number of major brands removing plastic from wet wipes. Boots, Tesco and Aldi are amongst major retailers who have stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic. The ban would build on this action from retailers to make only plastic-free wet wipes available to consumers.

The plans have been set out in a joint consultation with the devolved administrations which has been launched today to seek views on banning the manufacture, supply and sale of plastic-containing wet wipes across the UK.

It recognises public calls for action to tackle plastic pollution in waterways, and widespread public support for the proposed ban. A 2021 Call for Evidence in England found that 96% of respondents supported a ban on wet wipes containing plastic.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Wet wipes containing plastic are unnecessary and are polluting our environment.

Today’s plan shows we will continue to tackle plastic pollution in our waterways, building on banning microbeads in personal care products to taking billions of plastic bags out of circulation.

The consultation delivers on Defra’s commitments set out in the Plan for Water this year to launch a public consultation on the ban and work with industry to ensure plastic-free alternatives are widely available, with some retailers already taking action.

It also forms part of the Government’s wider world-leading action to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution and eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

David Henderson, Water UK Chief Executive, said:

We welcome the Government’s plan to ban plastics from wet wipes. When flushed, these wipes cause fatbergs and other blockages that trigger overflow spills into rivers or flood homes and businesses.

As our Bin the Wipe campaign makes clear, these products should never be flushed. We can all do our bit by putting wet wipes in the bin, rather than flushing them.

Natalie Gourlay, Head of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) at Boots UK said:

Boots removed all wet wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online earlier this year as part of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and working with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastic.

We are pleased to see the Government now taking action in this area as collectively we all have a responsibility to protect the environment and enable a healthy planet.

The UK Government and devolved administrations have already banned microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. Additionally, the UK Government introduced the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022, a tax of more than £200 per tonne on plastic packaging manufactured in or imported to the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.

Elsewhere, the Government’s hugely successful single-use carrier bag charge has cut sales in the main supermarkets by more than 98% since its introduction in 2015, taking billions of bags out of circulation.

Today’s announcement follows action by the Environment Secretary, who wrote to producers and retailers of wet wipes earlier in the year regarding the labelling of wet wipes as ‘flushable’.

Wet wipes contribute to 94% of sewer blockages, which can lead to damage to properties and can result in sewage-related litter entering the environment. The Environment Secretary has told producers that labels saying ‘flushable’ or ‘fine to flush’ may encourage consumers to dispose of wipes down the toilet, rather than disposing of them responsibly in the bin.

The government continues to support Water UK’s ‘Bin the Wipe’ campaign to address the environmental and drainage impacts of flushing wet wipes, in line with commitments in the Plan for Water.

The consultation will run for 6 weeks, until the 25th November 2023.

• New eco-labels to help save consumers money on their energy and water bills
• Labels will help reduce usage by 20% per person by 2038 and save an estimated £125 million on water bills over 10 years
• Delivers on pledge in the government’s Plan for Water which sets out government action to protect our water resources

Toilets, sinks, dishwashers and washing machines will soon be sold with new water efficiency labels to help consumers reduce their water usage and save themselves money, the government has confirmed today (Friday 29 September).

This follows a public consultation to make water efficiency labelling mandatory by 2025, which received widespread support and is one of the pledges in the government’s Plan for Water. Products that will be subject to labelling include toilets, urinals, bathroom basin taps, shower outlet devices and shower assembly solutions, dishwashers, washing machines and combination washer-dryers.

The aim is for these labels to echo energy efficiency labels, with a category rating from A to F on household goods. The majority of respondents (74%) agreed that the proposal will help to reduce water consumption by 2038.

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

Labels are a simple and effective way to help the public save water when buying their next dishwasher or washing machine. Providing people with the information to make an informed choice means not only less water being wasted but also keeping bills lower too.

With demand for water growing and challenges from climate change, this government is acting to make sure England’s water system is resilient – and through our Plan for Water we’ve set out how more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement will help secure water resources for the future.

Based on 2019 prices, the label could help save £125 million on water bills and £147 million on energy bills over 10 years, and 1,200 million litres of water a day across the UK – equivalent to 480 Olympic swimming pools. These projections are based on research from the Energy Saving Trust, funded by Defra and Waterwise, which found that a mandatory government led label would lead people to adopt more water efficient behaviours. By encouraging them to choose a device labelled as highly water efficient, consumers will see decreased bills through water savings and subsequent energy savings related to hot water use.

The government will continue to engage with industry on further details, such as how each category will be defined and the visual design of the label. The government has set an ambitious target to reduce the use of public water supply per person by 20% by 2038. Water efficiency labelling will form a key part of this goal, as laid out in our Plan for Water.

The Environment Agency’s review of draft Regional Water Resource Plans found an additional 4,000 million litres of water a day will be needed in England by 2050 to meet future supply pressures.  Approximately half of this amount will need to be delivered through demand management measures, including reducing leakage, and household and non-household consumption.

The Plan for Water, which was launched in April, brings together significant action already taken, along with more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on those who pollute. This includes the launch of a new National Policy Statement for water resources infrastructure, to help key water supply infrastructure – such as reservoirs and water transfer schemes – be built more quickly.

This summer, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero also published new advice for households on water efficiency to save energy.

Notes to editors

• The government response to the consultation covers England, Wales and Scotland. The government response can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-mandatory-water-efficiency-labelling

Nineteen innovative projects developing automation and robotic technologies will receive a share of £12.5 million in government funding to boost productivity, food security and sustainable farming practices, the Farming Minister Mark Spencer has announced today (28 September). This brings the total government funding announced to fund industry-led research and development in agriculture and horticulture to £120 million since 2021.

The projects – funded through the Farming Futures Automation and Robotics competition – include developing a system to accurately predict and enhance quality of strawberry yields, reduce waste and optimise labour and harvesting schedules; a new system to digitally map and monitor vineyards using drones, robots and sensors; and a navigation system for field-based robotic vehicles to improve accuracy and reliability and enable safe navigation in farmyard and field operations.

The funding comes through the Farming Futures Automation and Robotics competition, which is part of Defra’s £270 million Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) and is delivered by Innovate UK. The FIP has funded 17 competitions since opening in October 2021 which has already seen the development of new approaches to help farms be more sustainable and productive, from new ways to reduce or eliminate pesticide use through to projects to reduce emissions from livestock, and will help meet our commitment at the Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street in May to continue to produce at least 60% of the food we eat here in the UK.

Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Summit in London, Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

Farmers are always forward-looking, and innovation is key to driving a resilient, productive and sustainable agriculture sector that puts food on our tables.

The government stands firmly behind agri-tech innovation as the cornerstone of modern farming practices. By providing opportunities, funding and a supportive ecosystem within the sector, we aim to empower farmers, drive innovation and create a sustainable and prosperous future for agriculture across the UK.

Since 2021, the government has announced over £120 million to fund industry-led research and development in agriculture and horticulture, and the Farming Minister Mark Spencer reiterated this commitment to oversee the transformation of the UK into a world-leading agri-tech hub at the World Agri-tech Innovation Summit this week.

At the summit, the Farming Minister outlined the range of competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme that are supporting the sector to invest in new technology that will help grow their businesses, boost productivity and benefit the environment. This includes £10 million currently on offer through the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition to help businesses develop a new farming product and service and take it to commercialisation on the open market, and a further £4.5 million through the Feasibility Studies Competition to support businesses and researchers through the testing phase of an idea that will improve the productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming.

In addition the Farming Investment Fund is investing in equipment, technology and infrastructure and the recently launched Investor Partnership competition combines government grant funding with private investment to help smaller agri-tech business to grow and scale.

Florian Richter, CEO of Muddy Machines LTD, said:

Obtaining funding to research and develop such a key component of our technology is essential to our progression toward commercial operations.

We count ourselves truly privileged to be located in the UK and be able to benefit from this level of government funding support.

Oli Hilbourne, CEO and Co-Founder at Outfield Technologies, said:

The VISTA Project is a great example of the strength of UK innovation funding, bringing together technology companies, growers and academic partners to solve specific industry challenges.

The UK’s wine industry is growing rapidly, learning best practice from other wine growing regions. With VISTA, the UK wine industry has an opportunity to set the international standard and export our knowledge to the rest of the wine growing world. We are really excited to get started on the project and work with UK vineyards to drive productivity increases.

Dr Katrina Hayter, Challenge Director – Transforming Food Production Challenge at Innovate UK, said:

Robotics and automation are crucial drivers in addressing the challenges posed by a growing global population and the need for sustainable practices in various sectors, including agriculture.

By fostering innovation and research, we empower our farmers, growers, foresters and businesses to not only enhance productivity and economic growth but also to lead the way in sustainable practices. These projects are a testament to our commitment to improving environmental outcomes and reducing carbon emissions, ensuring a brighter and more sustainable future for our agricultural and horticultural communities.

Building on commitments at the Farm to Fork Summit at Downing Street earlier this year, the Farming Minister also pointed to opportunities such as the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act to unlock technologies to improve the productivity and resilience of crops, and support for farmers to attract investment and generate revenue through access to nature markets.

Government has set out next steps on plans for new housing, commercial and infrastructure developments to be “nature positive” today (Wednesday 27th September) by confirming that upcoming legislation to bring in these rules will be laid in November.

This is the first step in putting the new rules, known as “Biodiversity Net Gain” (BNG) onto a formal statutory footing.

Under the updated timetable set out today developers in England will be required to deliver 10% “Biodiversity Net Gain” from January 2024 onwards when building new housing, industrial or commercial developments meaning by law they must deliver a net positive for the local environment, for example by creating new habitats and green spaces. Biodiversity Net Gain for small sites will still be applicable from April 2024, and implementation for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects remains planned for 2025.

Biodiversity Net Gain was introduced through the world leading Environment Act and will be fundamental in helping the country meet our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030, while helping create more beautiful communities and deliver new homes.

To support the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain, the government has already committed over £15 million to assist Local Planning Authorities to prepare. Many housing developers are also already successfully creating Biodiversity Net Gain through their developments.

By the end of November, we will publish all guidance and the regulations including:

• the statutory biodiversity metric, critical for calculating the correct biodiversity gain
• the draft biodiversity gain plan template, which will help developers prepare for what they will need to complete during the planning application stages
• the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan template, which will set out how the improved significant on-site and off-site habitats will be managed for the long term
• a package of Biodiversity Net Gain guidance that sets out further advice for landowners, developers, and Local Planning Authorities around their role and responsibilities in delivering mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain

These materials will ensure that developers and planning authorities have access to the necessary tools and information to effectively implement Biodiversity Net Gain in January 2024, ensuring they deliver the homes that the country needs while benefitting nature and local environments.

Trudy Harrison, Biodiversity Minister said,

Biodiversity Net Gain will ensure new developments work for both wildlife and people . We will create nature-rich places whilst ensuring communities get the new homes and infrastructure they need.

The updated timetable and guidance we are setting out today will help smooth the transition ahead of Biodiversity Net Gain going fully live in January 2024.

Developers and planning authorities should use the additional time to familiarise themselves with the guidance and prepare for the integration of Biodiversity Net Gain into the planning system.

Further updates will follow in due course.

Further information:

• Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain will only apply to new applications for planning permission for major development made after November 2023. We are working with DLUHC on transitional arrangements to ensure that Biodiversity Net Gain is not applied retrospectively to planning applications that have been submitted or have already been granted permission before the implementation date.