Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

A new environmental principles duty – a measure to ensure the environment is at the heart of governmental policy making – comes into force today (Wednesday 1 November).

The duty reflects the government’s commitment to leaving the environment in a better state for future generations, ensuring that green issues are taken into account throughout the decision-making process. This will help the government to meet the targets outlined in the Environmental Improvement Plan and will ensure that environmental impacts are always given due consideration when policy is drafted.

Under the duty, ministers and policy makers must consider the environmental impact of new policies, following a framework of key principles:

• The integration principle, which is the principle that environmental protection should be integrated into the making of policies.
• The prevention principle, which states that government policy makers should aim to prevent environmental harm.
• The rectification at source principle, which means that policy should address environmental damage at the source, to avoid the need to remedy its effects later.
• The polluter pays principle, which states that where possible, the costs of environmental damage should be borne by those causing it, rather than the person who suffers the effects of the resulting environmental damage, or the wider community.
• The precautionary principle, which provides that where the threat of serious or irreversible environmental damage exists, a lack of scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.

The duty applies to new or revised policies made across government, with exceptions for national security and spending decisions, and delivers on commitments included in the Environment Act 2021 for Ministers of the Crown to have legal due regard to these principles.

Nature Minister Trudy Harrison said:

This government has gone further and faster to protect nature than any other, and the introduction of this duty further reaffirms our commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

Considering the environment across government policy will support our wider efforts to restore halt species loss and protect our much-loved landscapes, green spaces and the marine environment.

The principles are designed to guide policymakers towards opportunities to prevent environmental damage and enhance the environment. These are internationally recognised as successful benchmarks for environmental protection and enhancement.

The duty is outlined in detail in the Environmental Principles Policy Statement, published earlier this year, which outlines how to interpret and proportionately apply the principles. Ministers and the officials advising them on policy need to thoroughly consider these principles throughout the policy development process.

Work has been underway to implement the new duty across government, including working with policymakers, lawyers and analysts.

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will monitor and report on implementation of the duty across government.

Environmental protection is devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, subject to a small number of reserved areas. Therefore, each devolved administration can legislate individually for the Environmental Principles in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.

British farmers and growers will continue to have access to important pesticides to support resilient and profitable food production and cut input costs, the government has announced today.

Following feedback from farmers and industry, these plans will ensure farmers and growers can continue to buy and use seeds treated with EU-approved pesticides, and more cost-effective pesticides identical to those authorised in Great Britain can continue being imported.

The plans will not only provide certainty to farmers so they know which treated seeds and plant protection products they can use in coming growing seasons, but will also help improve the availability and reduce the cost of pesticides.

These treated seeds are important for both the arable and horticulture sectors and are particularly important for maize – a crop that is crucial for dairy farmers and in energy production.

The government shared these plans with Parliament yesterday which, once agreed, will come into force by the end of the year. This means there will be no break in the existing treated seed schemes (currently due to expire on 31 December), so that farmers can buy and use treated seeds ready for next growing season.

These measures will provide the agricultural industry and farming communities with valuable time to adapt, whilst also ensuring that we continue to support our farmers to put affordable and high-quality food on our tables.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

The government recognises the challenges faced by farmers and growers in importing treated seeds and more cost-effective pesticide products from the EU as the transition period concludes.

Ensuring that British farmers and growers have access to the tools they need to produce food sustainably and affordably is a priority. The measures announced today will address the potential impacts and concerns raised by our valued farming sector.

Under current timelines, farmers and growers were set to lose access to these products at the end of this year. However, the temporary measures will enable farmers and growers in Great Britain to:

• Continue using seeds treated with plant protection products authorised for use in the EU for an additional 3.5 years, extending up to 1 July 2027.
• Reinstate trade permits for the import of PPPs that are identical to those authorised in Great Britain for a maximum of two years.

Continuing to give farmers access to these products will help to improve their availability and reduce costs, while providing certainty for the sector over the coming years.

In the long term, this change will ensure manufacturers have time to submit full applications for GB authorisations for seed treatments in order to ensure that they can continue to benefit from the UK market. They have heard from farmers and understand the demand – the regulator will continue working with industry to support them in submitting successful applications.

We are also encouraging farmers to develop and adapt their practices, including through integrated pest management approaches, which can increase resilience by diversifying crop protection techniques. We are already supporting farmers to increase their use of integrated pest management – including through new paid actions such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme’s integrated pest management Standard which includes payments to carry out an assessment and produce an integrated pest management plan.

The bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy disproportionately rewarded the largest landowners and held back smaller farmers, while delivering little for food productivity or the environment.

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.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The measures are set out in a draft affirmative Statutory Instrument which was laid in Parliament yesterday: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2023/9780348252651/pdfs/ukdsi_9780348252651_en.pdf
• These measures must be agreed through the Houses of Parliament before they are made into law.

Seed Treatments:

• After exiting the EU, the government put arrangements in place until the end of 2023 to continue the import and use of seeds treated in the EU. However, recognising the importance of the scheme, we have today laid secondary legislation in Parliament to introduce an extension to measures that allow seeds treated with PPPs authorised for use in an EU or EEA member state to be imported, marketed and used in GB for an additional three-and-a-half years, up to 1 July 2027.
• Following these proposals, manufacturers will have the opportunity to submit applications for full PPP authorisations for seed treatments, covering both existing and new products.
• Simultaneously, farmers and growers will have the flexibility to consider utilising new products and alternative methods as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Notably, the government is already assisting farmers in increasing their adoption of IPM, including through newly introduced incentivised actions in the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, which was announced earlier this year.

Parallel Trade:

• The arrangements put in place at the point of the EU exit aimed to smooth the transition to a GB regime without parallel trade. However, global events have led to price increases across a range of important sectors, meaning that the need to access cost effective PPPs has become more acute.
• Therefore, in response to stakeholder concern from across farming industry, we have today also laid secondary legislation in Parliament to introduce measures which will allow those who held a valid Parallel Trade Permit on 31 December 2022, to apply for it be reinstated for a maximum of two years.
• This temporary measure will be in place while we address the limited competition and potential short-term gaps in the market that have arisen from the potential loss of parallel pesticide products.
• Guidance will be published on HSE’s website when the regulation has completed the Parliamentary process.

Standards:

• As with any policy on pesticides, maintaining protections for the environment and human health is paramount.
• Products imported through the parallel trade scheme must be identical to the GB reference product. We will continue to use both intelligence-led investigation and a broad range of controls to monitor, identify and act on any products that do not meet these standards.
• The import of treated seeds will be restricted to products authorised in one or more EU countries. This means that they must have passed through a strict regulatory regime with similar high standards to GB to be imported and used in this country. Any products for which the authorisation is withdrawn in the EU will no longer be legal to import and use in GB.

Reforms to household and business bin collections and a crackdown on unscrupulous waste carriers will boost recycling rates and protect the environment, the Government announced today.

A new, simpler common-sense approach to recycling means people across England will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to confusion over what can and can’t be recycled in different parts of the country.

Weekly collections of food waste will also be introduced for most households across England by 2026 – ending the threat of smelly waste waiting weeks for collection and cutting food waste heading to landfill. This will also stop a trend towards three- or four-weekly bin collections seen in some local authorities across the UK, particularly in Wales.

The government is proposing new exemptions to make sure that waste collectors will be able to collect dry recyclables together, in the same bin or bag, and collect organic waste together, to reduce the number of bins required.

As previously confirmed by the Prime Minister, the new plans for simpler recycling will make sure that households will not need an excessive number of bins. The reforms will bring in a more convenient and practical system which prevents councils from being hit with extra complexity, while making sure all local authorities collect the required recyclable waste streams: glass; metal; plastic; paper and card; food waste; and garden waste.

This means manufacturers can design packaging and know it can be recycled across the nation, ensuring there is more recycled material in the products we buy and allowing the UK recycling industry to grow.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said:

Simpler recycling will help us all recycle more easily, doing our bit to help save the planet and make the best use of precious resources that we use every day.

Alongside weekly food waste collections, we are ending the postcode lottery of what you can put in your bin so that wherever you live in the country, you will be able to recycle the same products with confidence.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: 

Our ambitious plans will help every household, business, school and hospital in the country to recycle more. We have listened to councils and come up with a system that will increase recycling in a way that does not clutter our pavements with numerous bins and smelly food waste collections for weeks, making recycling simpler and more effective.

This will help us to make the most of our finite and precious resources, while reducing carbon emissions and protecting our precious environment from harmful waste.”

The plans will help ensure that households benefit from frequent and comprehensive rubbish and recycling collections wherever they live across England, with the new weekly food waste collections and the proposal to include in guidance an expectation that residual rubbish is collected at least fortnightly, helping avoid long waits for smelly waste to be removed. Government will also work with local authorities to assess the collection of residual waste more frequently, especially in urban areas.

Paul Vanston, Chief Executive of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN), said:

INCPEN’s recent citizens surveys show there is huge public support for the idea of clear, unambiguous recycling instructions on packaging that match-up with what can be put into household recycling bins wherever citizens live across the whole country.

Today’s announcements move us several steps closer to turbo boosting the country’s packaging recycling rates on metals, paper and card, glass, hard and soft plastics and cartons whilst enabling citizens to be super-confident when applying simpler recycling behaviours at home and at work in future.

Margaret Bates, Managing Director at On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd (OPRL), said:

This announcement is a prompt and clear message that will make planning and operations more efficient for local authorities, packaging producers, brands and waste managers.

Defra has clearly worked hard to clarify the detail of Simpler Recycling as quickly as possible and this statement should be a welcome assurance for local authorities and wider industry.

Claire Shrewsbury, Director of Insights and Innovation at WRAP, said:

We welcome Defra’s announcement on Simpler Recycling and the inclusion of the six key materials and universal food waste collections for England.

It’s encouraging that more than 2.2 million businesses will now be required to separate their waste for recycling.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

Simplifying recycling in this way will make it far easier for hospitality businesses to recycle even more and ensure we’re being as sustainable as possible.

Recycling rates across the sector are already strong, with the vast majority of single-use plastics having been eliminated and food waste consistently on its way down and we’re pleased to work with the Government to continually improve the recycling systems for businesses.

Gavin Graveson, Senior Executive Vice President Northern Europe Zone at Veolia, said:

Today’s simpler recycling announcement is a welcome step forward to improve the quantity and quality of material that we process.

We now need to quicken the pace of UK recycling rates by ensuring that packaging is designed to be reused, repaired or recycled.

The plans will apply to all homes in England, including flats. Similar measures will apply to non-household municipal premises, including businesses, hospitals, schools and universities.

In addition to these measures, the Government will continue to drive forward efforts to make waste collections simpler across the country by launching a four-week consultation on expanding the definition of non-household municipal premises – so that places of worship, prisons, charity shops and residential hostels could also be covered by the rules.

These plans will be supported by a major new effort to clamp down on untrustworthy waste operators and ensure that our waste ends up where it’s supposed to be. This includes increasing background checks for firms who move or trade waste, to make it harder for rogue operators to find work and easier for regulators to act against criminals. Plans to overhaul the current system for tracking how waste is handled will also improve the way data is currently collected, strengthening regulators’ abilities to detect waste crime through a new system for digital waste tracking which will record information from the point it is produced to the point it is disposed of – giving them the evidence they need to hold criminals to account.

Steve Molyneux, Deputy Director of Waste Regulation at the Environment Agency, said:

Inappropriately managed waste can have a terrible impact on local communities and nature and undermines investment in the UK by responsible businesses. That’s why we are working to stop waste crime, which is estimated to cost the economy in England £1 billion per year.

Reforming the licensing system for carriers, brokers and dealers and introducing mandatory UK-wide digital waste tracking will support people to do the right thing by disposing of their waste correctly.

We are determined to keep one step ahead of the criminals – those acting without regard for the harm they cause – to shut them out of the system and move us towards an economy in which there is no space for waste crime.”

Today’s package builds on wider efforts to increase recycling and reduce waste. New restrictions on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers came into force on 1 October in order to reduce plastic pollution and keep streets clean. We are also moving forward with the implementation of our Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers and our Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging to boost recycling and clamp down on plastic pollution and litter.

We have already introduced a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds, and our world-leading Plastic Packaging Tax last year.

Meanwhile, our single-use plastic carrier bag charge has successfully cut sales by over 97% in the main supermarkets.

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.