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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking in the West Midlands to protect the environment. [216797] Mr. Morley: [holding answer 21 February 2005]: A wide range of regional activities on the environment are co-ordinated and prioritised through the West Midlands Regional Assembly's Regional Environmental Partnership, to which many of Defra's agencies actively contribute. Although only formed recently, it is currently considering a number of sectors, including waste, energy, biodiversity, urban design, Water Framework Directive, area-based approaches, etc. This group also contributes to the implementation and review of the Regional Spatial Strategy. The work of individual agencies is very varied, but includes the following: Environment Agency The priorities of the Environment Agency are set out in its corporate strategy, entitled "Making it happen". They are as follows: An enhanced environment for wildlife Cleaner air for everyone Improved and protected inland and coastal waters Restored, protected land with healthier soils A "greener" business world Wiser, sustainable use of natural resources Limiting and adapting to climate change Reducing flood risk English Nature (i) Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): There are 439 SSSI in the West Midlands region and currently 65 per cent. are either in favourable or recovering management condition. Only around 5 per cent. have been classified as declining in management condition. In some cases improvements in management condition are secured by English Nature through management agreements under its Wildlife Enhancement Scheme and in others by the Rural Development Service through agri-environment schemes. On other sites improved management has been achieved with support from the Heritage Lottery fund, for example at Cannock Chase and Sutton Park under the Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage initiative. One major outstanding issue which relates to the condition of river and other wetland SSSIs is diffuse pollution, invariably from agricultural sources. Under the Modernising Rural Delivery Programme a specific pilot scheme is now underway to tackle diffuse pollution issues on the river Teme through collaborative working among both relevant agencies including the Integrated Agency confederation and the Environment Agency together with local individuals and groups. (ii) Biodiversity: The Government is supporting the co-ordination the of six Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) Partnerships operating in the West Midlands and the delivery of specific nature conservation actions for a selection of each area's most threatened habitats and species. This ranges from restoration of lowland heathland in Staffordshire and Worcestershire to the survival of water voles in Birmingham and Herefordshire. The region's Biodiversity Strategy (to be launched March 2005), and the associated regional biodiversity audit and regional habitats targets work, has derived from strong Government engagement with and facilitation of partnership outputs. The ODPM's Regional Planning Guidance (June 2004) incorporates policy intent to achieve effective protection and measurable gains in the conservation status of 23 priority habitats by 2010. England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) The Rural Development Service, through its West Midlands offices, operates a range of agri-environment schemes as part of the ERDP. Expenditure under these in 2003-04 was as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. £000 Countryside Stewardship Scheme 5,878 Environmentally Sensitive Areas 3,491 Organic Farming Scheme 1,330 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. The new Environmental Stewardship scheme will shortly be introduced, and will replace the above schemes. It will address these issues: biodiversity maintenance, enhancement and protection of landscape quality and character protection of the historic environment natural resource protection promotion of public access (HLS only) genetic conservation flood protection Protected landscapes There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty wholly or partly within the region: Cannock Chase Cotswold Hills (part) Malvern Hills Shropshire Hills Wye Valley (part). The Peak District National Park lies partly within the West Midlands but is administered from the East Midlands. These organisations co-ordinate their activity through the West Midlands Protected Landscape Forum, led by the Countryside Agency. Forestry Commission The Forestry Commission recently led a partnership to produce a Regional Forestry Framework. An action plan for the region is currently being developed.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

216797; 431 c634-5W;431 c630-1W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Agriculture Biodiversity Environment protection Expenditure Nature conservation Pollution control Sites of special scientific interest West Midlands

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk