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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's guidance on hedge laying; and if he will include roadside hedges in the Countryside Stewardship grant BN5: Hedgerow laying.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's guidance on hedge laying; and if he will include roadside hedges in the Countryside Stewardship grant BN5: Hedgerow laying.
Under action BN5, support is available to farmers to lay roadside hedgerows where the farmer has management control of both sides of the hedgerow. In January we set out a commitment to introduce a cycle of reviews for scheme actions from 2025, which will include BN5. The current guidance is clear and as part of the cycle of reviews, we will assess the suitability of the guidance, including taking into account any farmer or stakeholder feedback we receive.
We will be publishing voluntary guidance to support the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer in the summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to bring forward legislation to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 on the enforcement sector.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to bring forward legislation to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 on the enforcement sector.
On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.
We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment with the Enforcement Conduct Board of the potential merits of introducing regulatory changes relating to the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 separately to implementing the uplift to the fees recoverable for (a) High...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment with the Enforcement Conduct Board of the potential merits of introducing regulatory changes relating to the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 separately to implementing the uplift to the fees recoverable for (a) High...
On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.
We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014.
On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.
We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 on the incomes of farmers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 on the incomes of farmers.
As part of our transition away from Direct Payments, the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 will apply reductions to delinked payments in 2024. However, this money is not being lost to the sector. The overall farming budget in England is being maintained at an average of £2.4 billion per year across this Parliament. The money released from the reductions is being reinvested in our other schemes for farmers and land managers. This means farmers can access funding which will help reduce costs and improve productivity and resilience, as well as benefitting the environment.
Analysis of the impacts of removing Direct Payments was included in the Government’s 2019 farming evidence compendium and 2021 and 2022 Agriculture in the UK Evidence Packs.
Does the hon. Lady agree that the example that the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the zoos are setting has not been copied by the country’s largest landowner, the National Trust? The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has been complaining about this issue ever...
Does the hon. Lady agree that the example that the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the zoos are setting has not been copied by the country’s largest landowner, the National Trust? The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has been complaining about this issue ever...
Leptodactylus fallax, the mountain chicken frog, is dying not because it is being consumed, but because it gets a very nasty fungus called chytridiomycosis, and zoos are able to protect those frogs because they can take them away from their very small habitats. Nearly all species decline is due to...
Leptodactylus fallax, the mountain chicken frog, is dying not because it is being consumed, but because it gets a very nasty fungus called chytridiomycosis, and zoos are able to protect those frogs because they can take them away from their very small habitats. Nearly all species decline is due to...
Will the Minister look at simple things we can do in the UK in that legislation, such as not insisting on a bat survey in the planning process, but insisting that bats get the mitigating changes to building regulations that they require automatically, thus saving developers and getting on with...
Will the Minister look at simple things we can do in the UK in that legislation, such as not insisting on a bat survey in the planning process, but insisting that bats get the mitigating changes to building regulations that they require automatically, thus saving developers and getting on with...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have died while attempting to cross the English Channel to the UK illegally in each year since 2020.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have died while attempting to cross the English Channel to the UK illegally in each year since 2020.
The Home Office is aware of a total of 69 persons known to have died while attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats since 2020:
2020: 6 deaths reported
2021: 34 deaths reported
2022: 4 deaths reported
2023: 12 deaths reported
2024: 13 deaths reported (as at 30 April 2024)
DEFRA is often a watchword for incompetence, and the approach to bluetongue is no exception to that. We need to be competing with Germany and Holland in the way we approach agriculture. This statutory instrument is particularly interesting—I declare my interests as listed in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests,...
DEFRA is often a watchword for incompetence, and the approach to bluetongue is no exception to that. We need to be competing with Germany and Holland in the way we approach agriculture. This statutory instrument is particularly interesting—I declare my interests as listed in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests,...
Ten minute rule motion for leave to bring in a Bill. Agreed to on question. Presentation and first reading (Bill 214). To be read a second time on 21 June.
Ten minute rule motion for leave to bring in a Bill. Agreed to on question. Presentation and first reading (Bill 214). To be read a second time on 21 June.
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to remove exemptions from requirements to provide access or services to a person who is accompanied by an assistance dog; to make the undertaking of disability equality training in relation to assistance dogs a condition of holding a...
I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to remove exemptions from requirements to provide access or services to a person who is accompanied by an assistance dog; to make the undertaking of disability equality training in relation to assistance dogs a condition of holding a...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on open finance.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on open finance.
The financial services sector is currently at the forefront of Smart Data, through a combination of Open Banking and the HM Treasury-funded Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT), which recently published recommendations for driving Open Finance forward in the UK.
HM Treasury has worked closely with the Department for Business and Trade as it developed its Smart Data roadmap, which sets out the government’s ambition for future Smart Data scheme development across seven different sectors, including finance, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-smart-data-roadmap-action-the-government-is-taking-in-2024-to-2025.
As set out in the roadmap, HM Treasury will carefully consider CFIT’s recommendations for Open Finance, alongside wider industry engagement, as it develops its strategy for Open Finance.
In April 2024, HM Treasury also announced the launch of an industry-led taskforce, which will identify and prioritise Open Finance use cases and data-sets that could be unlocked to improve SME access to credit.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 May.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 May.
Q5
.
Sir Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con):
My right hon. Friend’s decision to cancel HS2 led to £207 million for Herefordshire’s potholes and transport infrastructure; Hereford hospital has a new ward, more beds and a new diagnostic centre on the way; £35 million has been allocated to the River Wye recovery plan; inflation is down; the Rwanda Bill has been passed; and defence spending is increasing. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that, if he carries on like this, he is going to win the next election?
Q5
.
Sir Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con):
My right hon. Friend’s decision to cancel HS2 led to £207 million for Herefordshire’s potholes and transport infrastructure; Hereford hospital has a new ward, more beds and a new diagnostic centre on the way; £35 million has been allocated to the River Wye recovery plan; inflation is down; the Rwanda Bill has been passed; and defence spending is increasing. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that, if he carries on like this, he is going to win the next election?
I am thankful for my hon. Friend highlighting the work that the Government are doing, whether that is increasing our defence spending to keep us safe, securing our borders with our Rwanda Act, cutting taxes by £900 or raising the state pension by £900. I am also pleased that, locally in Herefordshire, we are filling in potholes, helping to save the River Wye and improving local health services. It is crystal clear that it is the Conservative Government who have a plan and are delivering a brighter future for our country.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to reform the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support off-gas properties.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to reform the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support off-gas properties.
The Government published its response to the consultation on amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in March. We will be making a series of changes including: removing insulation requirements; increasing the capacity limit for shared ground loops from 45kW to 300kW; expanding the definition of biomass boilers to include those with a cooking function and introducing flexibility to allow for the potential future differentiation of grant levels for off grid properties.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help support British heat pump manufacturers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help support British heat pump manufacturers.
The Government is supporting heat pump manufacturers through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition, which will provide up to £30m in grant funding for manufacturers to create new, or expand or repurpose existing, factories to produce heat pumps and key components. The Competition is expected to create capacity for up to 270,000 heat pumps a year and support up to 1,000 jobs.
Heat pump manufacturers can also take advantage of other incentives offered by Government for industry as a whole, such as investment zones which can provide direct and indirect support such as a range of tax reliefs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help support the deployment of shared ground loops in rural areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help support the deployment of shared ground loops in rural areas.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants of £7,500 to support the installation of air source, ground source and water source heat pumps including plants installed as part of a shared ground loop. We are increasing the shared ground loops system capacity limit in May from 45kW to 300kW to address the concerns that groundworks for ground source heat pumps are a significant barrier to deployment.
Shared ground loop installations which satisfy the eligibility criteria for the Green Heat Network Fund can apply to the scheme for support. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that their networks can deliver a minimum of 2GWh per year of heat.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support clean heat installations in rural areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support clean heat installations in rural areas.
The Government ‘help to heat’ schemes supports deployment of low carbon heating in rural areas through ECO, Wave 2 of SHDF and HUG2.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme also provides grants of £7,500 towards upfront cost and installation of air and ground source heat pumps. Up to the end of February 2024, 57% of grants paid out were for clean heat installations in rural areas
Through the Heat Network Transformation Programme, the Government is working with industry and local authorities to develop new heat networks and improve existing ones, including investing £500 million half a billion pounds in funds.