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23 Feb 2005 : Column 630W—continued
Environmental Protection
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:
The priorities of the Environment Agency are set out in its corporate strategy, entitled Making it happen". They are as follows:
(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.
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(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:
There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty wholly or partly within the region:
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.
The Forestry Commission recently led a partnership to produce a Regional Forestry Framework. An action plan for the region is currently being developed.
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EU Committees
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on water intended for human consumption met; when and where these meetings took place; what UKGovernment expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [216258]
Mr. Morley: The Committee did not meet between 1 July 2003 and 31 December 2004.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on bathing water, (ii) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Directive on the quality of fresh water needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life and (iii) Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of the Decision establishing a common procedure for the exchange of information on the quality of surface fresh water in the Community met; when and where each meeting took place; what UKGovernment expert was present at each meeting; and if she will make a statement. [216719]
Mr. Morley: None of these Committees met during these three presidencies.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on protection of water against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [217242]
Mr. Morley: The information requested is as follows:
Italian Presidency—July to December 2003
The Committee met on 7 November 2003 when three delegates from the UK attended.
Irish Presidency—January to June 2004
The Committee met on 23rd June 2004 when four delegates from the UK attended.
Dutch Presidency—July to December 2004
The Committee met on 2 December 2004 when four delegates from the UK attended.
All the meetings were held in Brussels.
The meetings present opportunities for the UK to discuss and promote a UK perspective on aspects of implementation of the Directive, for example, promotion of current UK scientific knowledge and thinking.
A series of Command Papers on developments in the EU—Cm6174 laid in April 2004, Cm6310 laid in September 2004 and Cm6450 laid in February 2005,
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cover the periods of the above presidencies and are available on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.
European Emissions Trading Scheme
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects that the European Commission will accept the revised UK National Allocation Plan in order to allow British business to participate in the European emissions trading scheme. [217212]
Margaret Beckett: We recognise that UK operators wish to begin full participation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as soon as possible. The Government are continuing their dialogue with the Commission with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides and which will enable allocation as soon as possible.
The monitoring and reporting aspects of the scheme commenced on 1 January 2005. UK operators are already able to participate in the forward market. The Government have published the provisional list of installation-level allowances in order to give industry as much certainty as possible about how many allowances they will receive. However, we recognise that operators can only begin trading on the spot market after allowances have actually been issued.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the most recent communication from the European Commission on the status of the revised UK National Allocation Plan. [217213]
Margaret Beckett: Discussions with the European Commission on the proposed amendments to the UK National Allocation Plan for phase 1 of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (2005–07) are still continuing, with a view to finding a solution which addresses the concerns of both sides as soon as possible.
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