Details for all core Defra’s research projects including description, contractor, cost and publications, commissioned between September 2010 and December 2014 are published online at http://randd.defra.gov.uk/. Defra is committed to publishing the results of high quality research and contractors are encouraged to publish articles in scientific journals. Core Defra publishes final research reports online and exceptions tend to relate to risks to personal or national security or limitations identified by specialist reviewers. The department does not hold centrally a record of which exemption applies to individual research projects.

The Government continues to promote and support the Timber Procurement Policy (TPP). This includes the provision of practical advice to public sector procurers and suppliers through the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET), which provides guidance and information through a helpdesk and regular, targeted workshops. Central Government Departments report annually on the application of the policy in construction contracts for the purposes of the Greening Government Commitments. CPET is reviewing the certification schemes that support the TPP to ensure they are sufficiently robust, and will report in the summer.

I am writing to Departments reminding them of the importance of the TPP, pointing them to the example of best practice of the Environment Agency as summarised in WWF’s recent report on Government implementation of the TPP, and asking for details of how they are ensuring implementation, for example by including the TPP in contracts and in key performance indicators. The Government Buying Standards (GBS) for Construction and for Timber Products require the TPP to be met. These GBS are now included in the CCS Facilities Management Framework contract, with work ongoing to ensure all future Government contracts include these criteria.

The current round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power is already underway and its scope was subject to a full public consultation. The Pensions Regulator was not invited to report.

We will review and consult on the third round of reporting, taking account of our latest assessment of climate risk, during which the involvement of a range of new reporters will be considered.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to his previous question on 10 March 2015, PQ UIN 226483.

The table below shows the average hourly rate of pay for employees who have declared their ethnicity in core-Defra at each grade identified as (a) white and (b) from a black, Asian, or other minority ethnic group (BAME).

Data has not been provided where there are fewer than 5 employees in a group.

This includes employees at AA, where the average hourly rate of pay across all employees is £9.09; Grade 6, where the average hourly rate of pay across all employees is £33.42; and at SCS, where the average hourly rate of pay across all employees is £43.33.

The table below summarises the number of incidents recorded by the Environment Agency as fires at waste management premises for 2013 and 2014. The figures include all incidents ranging from serious impact to no impact.

The figures differ from those provided in response to a parliamentary question on 12 February last year. The response to that question stated that there were a total of 295 fires at both regulated and unregulated waste management sites in 2013. The difference is due to some duplication of incident reporting in the previous answer.

None.

Defra uses both monitoring and modelling to assess air quality in the UK. Measurement data is updated hourly on our website at:

http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk for the 142 automatic monitoring sites across the UK.

While Defra does not monitor air pollution in central and eastern Europe, the UK air quality forecast provided by the Met Office takes account of European emissions and forecast weather conditions.

Defra also operates a network that measures particle numbers, size and composition, providing additional information about sources of particulate pollution. Information is available at: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/network-info?view=particle.

The UK Government is committed to making better use of resources and minimising the environmental impact of waste, by sending less waste to landfill and increasing the recycling, reuse and prevention of waste.

The Commission has announced its intention to bring forward new proposals this year that will set out a more ambitious approach to developing the circular economy.

We look forward to working with the Commission, the European Parliament and other Member States to ensure a balanced package of proposals that is ambitious, evidence based and feasible for all Member States.

Overall funding levels for national park authorities are calculated based on a range of demographic and other factors relevant to delivery of the national parks’ statutory purposes and their planning function. Factors include the size of the park, the population and the number of planning cases. Within that, national park authorities are independent bodies and it is for them to decide how best to allocate their funding to deliver their functions and the locally determined priorities as set out in their Management Plans.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Noise Act 1996 already provide local authorities with the necessary powers to tackle problem neighbour noise. This legislation allows local authorities to serve notices to stop the noise and prevent it from happening again.

The Government has also introduced more effective anti-social behaviour powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. One of the powers is the Community Protection Notice which the police and local authorities can use to tackle behaviour that is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the community, is persistent or continuing and is unreasonable. In addition, apart from the statutory guidance, the Government has also published an information note highlighting how the new powers can be used to deal with noisy neighbours.

The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts set out details of spend on research and development by the Core Department and its agencies, and total Departmental spend each year. The table below shows the information requested in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2013-14 (the last financial year for which a set of accounts has been published).

The table below shows the number and proportion of core Defra employees in each ethnicity category as at 28 February 2015. This includes people who have declared their ethnicity status only.

Core Defra staff are not authorised to download and use any news applications on their work-provided phones and tablets.

The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts set out the number of off-payroll workers employed by the Core Department, its Executive Agencies and Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies each year. The table below shows the information requested in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2013-14 (the last financial year for which a set of accounts has been published).

Note: the figures for the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency reflect the organisation’s then structure, which was created from a merger of the Animal Health agency and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency on 1 April 2011. The figures do not reflect the restructuring into the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 1 October 2014, when some areas of work undertaken previously by Fera (Food and Environment Research Agency) were brought into the new organisation.

Defra uses both monitoring and modelling to assess air quality in the UK. Information about recent and historic levels of pollution, pollution forecasts, health advice and background modelled data is available on the UK-AIR website: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk.

Defra has two monitoring stations in the City of York Local Authority area, both of which are located in the York Central constituency. Information about the sites and the pollutants measured is available at:

· York Fishergate: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/site-info?uka_id=UKA00524

· York Bootham: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/networks/site-info?uka_id=UKA00523

Monitoring is supported by modelled data. Information on modelled background and roadside levels for major roads in the UK can be found at: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/gis-mapping.

The results of both monitoring and modelling for compliance with European Directives are assessed annually and reported to the EU. ‘Air Pollution in the UK’ reports from 2010 to the present can be found at: http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/library/annualreport.

Local authorities are responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality under the Local Air Quality Management system. As part of this assessment, the City of York Council undertakes additional monitoring. Information can be found at: http://www.jorair.co.uk/index.php?page=stations.

The Department does not record information at the level of detail requested, and to determine such information would incur disproportionate cost. However, the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts set out details of total spend on publicity, marketing and promotion each year. The table below shows such spend in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2013-14 (the last financial year for which a set of accounts has been published).

The Civil Service People Survey asks the question “Do you have any long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability?” The survey does not include a question that specifically identifies disability status.

In the 2014 People Survey, 17% of core Defra respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months.

7% of core Defra respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months.

The National Pollinator Strategy, launched in November last year, is a shared plan of action for Government, businesses and others to support the health and resilience of England’s pollinators.

As part of the strategy, the Bees’ Needs website (www.beesneeds.org.uk) offers guidance to businesses and individuals on the steps that they can take to support pollinators. The website includes tailored guidance for land managers on how to implement the Bees’ Needs actions on a variety of land uses, and case studies which showcase best practice by local authorities, businesses and other organisations.

Lord de Mauley has also contacted major retailers, DIY outlets and garden centres to encourage them to have pollinator-friendly plant and product displays in their shops. Their positive responses have highlighted the range of important actions that businesses can and are already taking to support bee and other insect pollinators.

Bottled water is only purchased by the core Defra for water coolers in our Nobel House, London office. In 2014, the core Department spent £1,406.00 on this.