Tag: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 April 2023.

£5 million available for tree and seed suppliers of all sizes and from any sector to expand and modernise.

Investment in domestic tree production in England will be accelerated today (11 April) with applications re-opening for the Forestry Commission’s Tree Production Capital Grant. The funding will drive the production of tree seed and saplings through developments in machinery, automation and the expansion of facilities.

In line with the aims of the England Trees Action Plan and Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament, the Tree Production Capital Grant will support efforts to build nursery capacity and grow long-term tree seed and sapling supply.

The grant will enable suppliers to boost production rates at pace and has been designed to complement the Tree Production Innovation Fund, which provides support for research projects that enhance UK tree production methods.

Previous funding rounds have provided machinery for projects such as the Emmaus Community Tree Nursery in Cornwall to help it meet the need for locally grown trees and provide employment opportunities for homeless people. Funding has also supporting Warwickshire County Council expand and improve their tree nursey expansion and improvement so they can diversify the species they grow and adapt to future climate conditions.

Successful projects will be awarded up to £175,000 in grant funding to cover up to 50% of costs, with money coming from the Tree Production Capital Grant as part of the Government’s £750 million Nature for Climate Fund. In comparison to the 2022 application process, the minimum grant value which can be applied for has reduced from £10,000 to £5,000 enhancing accessibility for smaller projects.

Examples of eligible projects include investments in seed trays, developments in machinery such as transplanting systems and grading machines, improved polytunnel infrastructure and irrigation systems, or in biosecurity through improved water treatment and refrigeration equipment. Applications are encouraged from tree seed and sapling suppliers of all sizes and sectors, as well as new entrants looking to diversify into the area.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

This Government is committed to bolstering domestic tree production and fostering a robust forestry industry – actions that are necessary to realise our long-term tree- planting goals.

Not only does the Tree Production Capital Grant allow us to modernise and enhance the sector, but it also helps to create new green jobs and to tackle climate change, amongst myriad other benefits.

Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:

Funding projects that enhance our woodlands and treescapes is fundamental to achieving Government’s tree planting ambitions and building an innovative and robust forestry sector.

Through the Tree Production Capital Grant we have been able to support existing tree and seed suppliers of all sizes, and also provide funding to those wishing to make a start in the sector. With the application window now open, I encourage those with relevant projects to apply.”

The second round of the Tree Production Capital Grant is now open until 31st May 2023. and will provide up to £1.76 million of funding during 2023/24 and £3.43 million during 2024/25, subject to successful bids. Applicants can apply for projects up to two years long, ending in March 2025.

The Forestry Commission will be hosting a webinar on the grant application process on Friday 28 April.

For more information and to apply, go to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-production-capital-grant

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 11 April 2023.

Mandatory housing measures will be lifted from 00:01 on Tuesday 18th April but scrupulous standards of biosecurity remain essential.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 April 2023.

Sites in Rutland, Plymouth and Suffolk will receive bathing water status from May.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 April 2023.

£775,000 to be spent on schemes across England.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 April 2023.

£110 million funding for communities allocated under the Rural England Prosperity Fund.

Communities across rural England are set to benefit from an extra £110 million in local authority funding to support rural business and community groups, it has been announced today (7 April).

Eligible local authorities in England will receive the funding, which they can invest in initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost rural tourism, and community infrastructure projects including electric vehicle charging stations. The funding will also help people start up local businesses to supercharge growth and create employment opportunities for rural areas.

The confirmed allocations are spread right across the country, including over £5 million for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, £3m for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, over £3 million for North of Tyne, over £2.5 million for West Yorkshire, £2.5 million for Shropshire and almost £1 million for Cheshire East.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund is a rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment to support levelling up across the UK. It marks a change from previous bureaucratic and fragmented EU funds, allowing England to take back control of its own growth investment and giving local leaders a greater say in where funding is best spent.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Driving investment in rural areas is a vital part of our vision for levelling up the country. The new Rural Prosperity Fund replaces the bureaucratic EU funding system – allowing us to work closely with local leaders to direct funding where it is most needed to close the rural productivity gap, create job opportunities and protect the English countryside.

This confirmed spending will allow local authorities to deliver on their plans to level up businesses and communities in rural areas from today, in line with their residents’ priorities.

Country Land and Business President Mark Tufnell said:

“The rural economy is 19% less productive than the national average, but reducing this gap could add up to £43 billion to the economy.  This funding is an important step in unlocking the vast potential of rural businesses, and will give startups as well as existing enterprises the support they need to grow.

We strongly encourage Local Authorities to work closely with rural entrepreneurs to maximise the opportunities the Rural England Prosperity Fund presents, identifying every possible opportunity to generate economic growth – creating good jobs and strengthening our communities in the process.

Across rural England, the money will be spent on two key areas:

• Communities and place: projects to improve community facilities such as green spaces and boost access to arts and culture to grow local tourism economies.
• Supporting local business: projects to support agricultural businesses looking to expand their remit, and rural businesses looking to launch or grow their products and services.

Rural England Prosperity Fund allocates £110 million between 2023 and 2025. Defra is in contact with each of the eligible local authorities to confirm their allocated funding, and they can begin to deliver on their plans over the coming weeks.

The announcement today follows the ‘Delivering for Rural England’ rural proofing report, which set out how rural challenges and opportunities will be at the heart the government’s approach to levelling up. The government is committed to promoting high-quality digital infrastructure and is already delivering major upgrades through the Shared Rural Network and Project Gigabit. Considerable progress has already been made, for example in improving connectivity with 30% of rural premises now having access to gigabit-capable connections compared with 19% in January 2021.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 April 2023.

Regulation for written contracts will provide fairness and certainty for the sector.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 April 2023.

£100 million of funding for areas in England that have suffered repeated flooding.

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow has today (Wednesday 5 April) announced the first communities in England to receive better flood protection as part of the government’s £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance to protect areas which have been affected by repeated flooding.

The first 53 projects announced today will be allocated more than £26 million in total, better protecting more than 2,300 households and businesses across the country.

Communities that will be better protected include those in Worcestershire, which faced severe flooding with Storm Christoph in 2021, and Cumbria, whose residents suffered major flooding from Storm Desmond in 2015 and Storm Ciara in 2020.

It will also better protect properties in the Calder Valley, which was devastated by flooding when it was hit by both Storm Ciara and Storm Eva in 2015.

The allowance targets communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or more in the last 10 years. These communities are often smaller and can face barriers to access funding due to the relative complexity and cost of building flood defences compared to the size of the community.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

We know only too well the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and businesses, as we face more extreme weather brought about by climate change.

I am determined that we do whatever we can to prevent flooding that affects so many towns and villages across the country.

This much-needed funding will go a long way to support those whose homes and livelihoods are repeatedly threatened by flooding and forms a key part of our record £5.2 billion investment by 2027 to protect communities in England better.

John Curtin, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said:

We are already seeing the impacts of climate change in the UK and around the world, with increased flooding just one aspect of this. Protecting people and communities is our top priority as look to tackle this challenge.

The funding announced today will help better protect thousands of homes and businesses at risk from repeated flood incidents across the country.

The Environment Agency’s strong track record in delivering flood defence schemes means we have better protected 314,000 homes since 2015.

Projects will improve resilience through a mixture of hard engineering flood defences and natural flood management measures. The allowance also supports the installation of property flood resilience (PFR) measures such as flood doors and barriers, meaning more homes will be better protected in communities where traditional defence schemes are not always viable.

The ring-fenced funding is part of a record £5.2 billion investment in flood defences to protect communities across England better.

Since the start of the current £5.2 billion investment programme (2021-2027), we have already better protected more than 35,000 properties. This follows our successful delivery of the previous £2.6 billion investment programme between 2015 and 2021, which better protected more than 314,000 homes across England.

See below for a full list of projects to receive funding:

• Alconbury Flood Alleviation Scheme Stage 2
• Brighton & Hove City Council Surface Water Management Feasibility Study
• Bingley and Shipley Property Flood Resilience Study
• Bledington Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Burrow Beck Conveyance Improvements
• Carlisle Appraisal Package Appleby Town Centre
• Chard Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Cocker Beck, Lowdham, Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Dufton Close Feasibility Study
• Earby Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 3, Earby Beck
• Eardisland Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Erringden Hillside
• Falmouth Integrated Urban Drainage Management
• First Avenue Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Copley Village Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Cottonstones near Lumb, Calderdale
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 – Railes Close between Luddenden and Midgley
• Greyfriars Community Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Ilminster Flood Alleviation Study
• Intake, Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Irwell Vale to Chatterton
• Langstone (Havant) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Scheme
• Larkspur Close Integrated Urban Drainage Scheme
• Lavendon Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Leintwardine and Walford Property Flood Resilience
• Lindale Road Grange over Sands
• Lipson Vale Phase 1, Trefusis Park (South West Water Integrated Urban Drainage Modelling)
• Little Bollington River Bollin Property Flood Resilience
• Market Weighton Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Natural Flood Management Upstream of Cirencester
• Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership – Redcar (Yearby, Kirkleatham & Low Farm Drive, and West Dyke Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership – Saltburn (Princes Road & Marske Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
• North Road, Holme Village Flood Alleviation
• Pallion Flood Alleviation Scheme
• River Teme, Tenbury Wells Community Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Rolleston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, Staffordshire
• Ruislip Park Wood and Pinn Meadows
• Severn Stoke Flood Alleviation Scheme, River Severn
• Skipton Road
• Small Communities Property Flood Resilience Scoping
• South Cave Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Stony Stratford Flood Alleviation Study
• Stubbing Holme Road
• Tenbury Wells Integrated Flood Solution
• Toronto Close Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Undefended Properties in the Ironbridge Gorge – Individual Property Protection
• Upper River Piddle Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Walsden Flood Alleviation Scheme
• West End Road, St Helens
• Whitley Brook Flood Reduction Scheme
• Williton Flood Alleviation Study

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 April 2023.

£34 million will be made available to farmers through the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 April 2023.

More investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on water companies announced in new government water plan.

A new plan to clean up our waters and ensure a plentiful supply for the future has been set out by the government today (4 April).

The Plan for Water covers both the water environment – how clean it is – and water resources – how much of it we have.

It brings together the significant action already taken, along with more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on those who pollute.

It tackles every source of pollution, including from storm overflows, agriculture, plastics, road run-off and chemicals – as well as the pressures on our water resources as a result of hotter, drier summers and population growth.

It includes a commitment to consult on a ban on the use of plastic in wet wipes, responding to public calls to tackle the blight of plastic in our waterways and building on recent action from major retailers including Boots and Tesco. This ban will be subject to public consultation, working with industry and making sure plastic-free alternatives are available to the public.

The public rightly expect water companies, businesses and regulators to do all they can to protect our waterways. That’s why the plan will make sure water companies speed up their infrastructure upgrades – bringing forward £1.6 billion for work to start between now and 2025. Farmers will also be supported with an extra £34 million to tackle water pollution and boost food production, with an additional £10 million for farm reservoirs and irrigation.

Under the plan, fines from water companies will be reinvested into a new Water Restoration Fund, making polluters pay for damage they cause to the environment. This fund will deliver on-the-ground improvements to water quality as well as  supporting local groups and community-led schemes which help to protect our waterways.

Tackling the challenges around water quality and resources requires effort across the whole of society, including businesses, regulators, government and households. This will not be fixed overnight, but today’s plan sets out a clear way forward for cleaner, plentiful water and to deliver the improvements people want to see.

Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey said:

Our rare chalk streams and world-famous coastlines, lakes and rivers are hugely important to local communities and to nature.

I completely understand the concerns that people have about the health and resilience of our waters, which is why I am setting out this plan for a truly national effort to protect and improve them. That includes higher penalties taken from water company profits which will be channelled back into the rivers, lakes and streams where it is needed.

This is not straightforward, but I take this issue extremely seriously and things need to change. That’s why we have developed this plan and we are committed to delivering the progress that people want to see.

Today the government is announcing:

More investment

• £1.6 billion of new, accelerated investment by water companies, to spend on new infrastructure to tackle pollution and increase our water resilience – includes £1.1 billion on storm overflow improvements to cut 10,000 discharges
• Creating a new Water Restoration Fund, using money from water company fines and penalties – taken from water company profits, not customers – to support local groups and catchment projects like re-meandering rivers and restoring  habitats
• Delivering long-term catchment action plans – community-led schemes which aim to improve waterways and surrounding eco-systems – backed up by new funding, to improve all water bodies in England. This follows the credit scheme launched last week by Natural England to offset the environmental impact of new housing developments.
• More than doubling the money for slurry infrastructure for farmers to £34 million through the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, with further rounds to be launched later in 2023 and 2024. This will help farmers reduce a major source of water pollution by improving slurry storage, as well as the use of organic nutrients on farms.
• Supporting farmers with food production by enabling them to store more water on their land – with a second round of the £10 million Water Management Grant to fund more on-farm reservoirs and better irrigation equipment. We will also reduce planning barriers to small reservoirs.
• Leveraging £1 million investment in partnership projects each year to improve chalk catchments to help protect these rare and irreplaceable habitats. This is in addition to taking forward the recommendations from the Chalk Stream Strategy.
• Launching a £6.6 million Lowland Peat Research and Development programme in 2023 to identify the best way to reduce emissions from lowland peatlands.

Stronger regulation

• Banning sales of wet wipes containing plastic – subject to consultation – and writing to relevant producers and advertising authorities about ‘flushable’ labelling on wet wipe packaging.
• Develop new proposals to restrict the use of ‘forever’ chemicals (PFAS) found in our rivers and seas – including proposals for a ban on PFAS in fire-fighting foams following recommendations made by the Health and Safety Executive.
• Launching a new National Policy Statement on water resources so that key water supply infrastructure – such as reservoirs and water transfer schemes – can be built more quickly.
• An earlier deadline for water companies to reduce chemicals in wastewater treatment.
• Integrating water and flood planning to target actions where they will have the biggest impact for nature.
• Reducing water demand by encouraging water companies to consider how to rapidly increase smart meter installations for household and non-household customers.

Tougher enforcement

• Changing the law to increase the scope and maximum amount the Environment Agency (EA) can secure in penalties for water companies for damaging the environment. The consultation has launched today, including a preferred option to remove the cap and enable the EA to issue unlimited penalties.  This follows recent action from Ofwat to ensure dividends are clearly linked to company performance for customers and the environment, as well as tighter measures on water company executive bonuses.
• Increasing permit charges on water companies to fund more EA water company inspections, with new inspection targets.
• Reviewing and updating the existing memorandum of understanding between the Environment Agency and Ofwat for enhanced joint regulatory oversight of water companies.

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said:

This ambitious plan marks a step change in how we manage our waters – pulling together all the strands of our complex water system, and setting us on a trajectory for a clean and sustainable water supply for future generations.

Crucially, it will ensure that we secure clean water from a healthy environment, where chalk streams are restored and entire catchments – from source to sea – are the focal point.

Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said:

Climate change and population growth mean that by 2050 around 4 billion extra litres of water will be needed every day in England. Defra’s plan sets out a pathway that integrates action on supply and demand with work on floods and pollution. We must take full advantage of the current public interest to deliver a truly national effort to protect water. This plan sets the trajectory.

I am also pleased to see today’s consultation on enabling the Environment Agency to levy much larger penalties for pollution alongside the criminal fines we seek in the courts. Nature must be supported and the polluter must pay. These new measures will help us hold the water industry and others to account.

Ofwat Chief Executive David Black said:

We welcome greater collaboration with our partners in the sector to ensure water companies’ actions are focused on better protecting the environment and their customers. Substantial investment is underway to drive improvements and we are tightening rules to ensure companies act responsibly.

This includes action on dividends and bonus payments where performance does meet our expectations, while ensuring the sector remains sufficiently resilient to attract ongoing investment. We also look forward to working with other regulators on matters ranging from affordability to data-sharing.

Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:

Protecting and improving our freshwater habitats is an essential part of maintaining some of our iconic wetland and river landscapes and for meeting the government’s statutory targets for Nature recovery.

It is very positive to see a focus on key Nature recovery priorities, including support for work to improve chalk streams, adding meanders back to rivers and restoring freshwater wildlife habitats. These measures will go hand in hand with our new mitigation scheme to help protect internationally important wetlands from nutrient pollution.

Natural England looks forward to working closely with the government in making the most of this very welcome new plan in protecting and restoring Nature and improving the quality of our freshwater environments, while bringing benefits for farmers, communities and wildlife.

Today’s announcement follows the Environmental Improvement Plan in January, the government’s five-year delivery plan to protect and restore nature – including ambitious targets on water. The Integrated Plan for Water shows how we will deliver on those targets.

It also builds on recent action – including the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan published last year, a significant push on monitoring of storm overflows from 7% in 2010 to more than 90% now, and new targets on water companies designed to prioritise key sites like bathing waters.

The full Plan is available on gov.uk.

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 April 2023.

Northeast Atlantic spurdog stock has recovered enough to support landings.

This weekend (1 April) UK fishermen were once more able to fish Northeast Atlantic spurdog in UK waters as the latest scientific evidence revealed the stock is recovering and can support landings in 2023 and 2024.

Spurdog (Squalus acanthias), also known as picked or spiny dogfish, are a type of shark species that inhabit UK waters. They have been managed as a prohibited species in UK and EU waters for around five years to facilitate stock recovery. But now, following a recently updated scientific assessment, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has advised the stock is recovering and landings of spurdog can be supported again.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said:

Through the management of spurdog as a prohibited species, we have enabled stocks to recover to the point where our fishing industry can once again fish this species commercially on a sustainable basis.

We will continue to use the latest scientific advice and monitor stocks to ensure appropriate management measures are in place to protect the species, cementing our commitment to establish a sustainable and profitable UK fishing industry for generations to come”.

A total allowable catch (TAC) has been agreed for North-east Atlantic Spurdog at the UK – EU fisheries negotiations, with the UK receiving a quota allocation of 2,781 tonnes in the North Sea and 4,825 tonnes in Western waters for 2023.

North Sea spurdog quota will be shared between the UK Fisheries Administrations in England, Scotland, Wales and NI using existing fixed quota allocation units for allocation to industry groups. Western spurdog quota will be kept unallocated and managed by monthly tonnage limits in UK vessel licences, with limits being closely monitored and adjusted as necessary once more data is gathered on the fishery.

As part of the UK’s precautionary approach to reopening the fishery, a reserve of 25% of the North Sea quota will be held by the UK government, with a decision on allocating this reserve to be made later this year. The UK and EU will also prohibit landings of spurdog over 100cm in length to discourage the targeting of larger females and provide protection for the breeding stock.

The UK will continue to gather more information on the stock as part of this approach, and additional measures could be introduced if necessary.

Full details on our new approach and updated Spurdog guidance can be found on GOV.UK.