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4 Dec 2006 : Column 40W—continued
(i) DEFRA funding to LAs and IDBs for capital improvement projects to manage flood and coastal erosion risk (direct grant and, for LAs prior to 2006-07, a mixture of direct grant and Supported Capital Expenditure (Revenue))
(ii) spend by the EA in England on measures to manage flood risk, including expenditure on new and improved defences,
maintenance, flood warning, flood risk mapping etcetera. Some EA spend is funded from sources other than DEFRA Grant in Aid.
| £ million | |||
| (i) DEFRA funding to LAs/IDBs | (ii) Environment Agency spend | ||
| Capital | Capital | Revenue | |
I hope to announce allocations for 2007-08 shortly.
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the risk of flooding in Oxford in winter 2006-07. [103960]
Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency monitors rainfall and river flows and issues flood warnings when appropriate. The likelihood of flooding in the Oxford area is dependant on the amount of rain that falls in the Thames catchment, the intensity of this rain, and how wet the ground is before the rain starts falling. Obviously all these factors can vary considerably through the winter and it is not possible to accurately forecast the weather more than five days ahead. While the flow in the Thames through Oxford is normal for this time of the year, this situation can change as it did in the winter of 2002-03 when more than 100 properties were flooded.
The agency is evaluating options for a major flood risk management scheme for Oxford. Recent projects to raise awareness of flood risk in Oxford include advertising in local papers and radio stations, and house to house visits in at risk areas.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure additional flood defences for Shrewsbury. [104301]
Ian Pearson: Since the floods in 2000, some £9 million has been spent on flood defence work in Shrewsbury. The Environment Agency (EA) is currently developing a scheme to defend the Abbey Foregate area of Shrewsbury. The funding for this scheme will be derived from a combination of developer and local levy funding. The timing of delivery of the scheme will depend on allocation of local levy funding, prioritised across the Midlands.
As part of a partnership group in Shrewsbury, the EA, Severn Trent Water, Shropshire county council, and Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council are planning the Coton Hill temporary defence scheme by summer/autumn 2007. Trials and on going discussions
have proved very successful, and have identified some complex issues to be addressed across all agencies before the scheme can be implemented.
The EA has commissioned the new Flood Warnings Direct system, superseding the flood wardens system in Shrewsbury, and is planning to implement an innovative flood zoning policy with Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council.
Forestry
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans his Department has to increase new planting of forestry in the UK; and if he will make a statement; [104229]
(2) how much new planting of forest he expects the Government to complete by 2010; and what targets he has set; [104230]
(3) whether he plans to revise his targets for the new planting of forestry following the revision of the English and Scottish forestry strategies; [104232]
(4) what his targets are for the new planting of forest within the UK for the next five years; and what targets he has for each species of tree; [104237]
(5) what steps he plans to take to deliver the new targets for woodland habitat creation. [106336]
Barry Gardiner: My Department is responsible for woodlands in England only. At present, there are no specific targets for woodland creation in England. We have started to revise the England Forestry Strategy, and we are consulting on new proposals. Delivery of national priorities set out in the new Strategy (which we expect to publish next year), will result in an increase in overall woodland cover. However, we are still considering what an appropriate level of increase should be.
The area of new woodland created comes mainly from Forestry Commission grant aid planting, as well as planting by the Commission on the public forest estate. In addition a small area is planted each year without grant aid. A breakdown by tree species is not available.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of EU-wide comparisons of forestry cover; and if he will make a statement. [104231]
Barry Gardiner: The most recent EU-wide comparisons of forestry cover are contained in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Global Forest Resource Assessment 2005. This data is given in the following table.
| Country | Forest as percentage of land cover |
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans he has to increase woodland cover in the UK as part of the EU Forest Action Plan; and if he will make a statement; [104233]
(2) what his Department’s budget is for the UK’s role in delivering the EU Forest Action Plan; [104234]
(3) what discussions he has had with other Government Departments regarding the EU Forest Action Plan. [104236]
Barry Gardiner: The EU Forest Action Plan was developed to help with the co-ordination of Community actions and the forest policies of individual member states by providing a better, more integrated framework. The Forestry Commission has lead responsibility within the UK.
Annual work programmes to facilitate delivery are not yet prepared or agreed in Brussels and the UK is not in a position to give any detailed information at present. However, the action plan does not set an optimum target for woodland cover.
Other Government Departments and the devolved administrations have been closely involved in the development of the action plan, and discussions have taken place through the International Forestry Group.
Foxes
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) powers and (b) duties local authorities have to control urban foxes. [106608]
Barry Gardiner: There is no statutory duty on local authorities or anyone else to control foxes in their areas. In so far as local authorities are owners and occupiers of property, they have the same powers to control foxes as any other owner or occupier. In practice, many councils provide advice to householders in their area on managing and deterring the presence of foxes.
The means used to alleviate problems are at the discretion of the owner or occupier, provided that steps taken are humane and do not contravene current legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Currently we have no plans to change this policy.
Strategies to reduce fox problems would usually involve non-lethal methods such as preventing access to food sources, improving protection for pets, or the use of repellents. If foxes are to be killed in an urban area we would recommend that this is done by a professional pest controller who would usually use cage trapping followed by humane killing.
An advisory leaflet that describes a number of different approaches that are suitable in urban situations is available from the DEFRA website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/publications/technical/TAN_08.pdf
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to control urban foxes. [105978]
Barry Gardiner: It has been the policy of this and previous Governments that responsibility for managing fox problems, whether in urban or rural areas, should rest with those who benefit from mitigation measures, that is individual landowners and occupiers. The means used to alleviate problems are at the discretion of the owner or occupier, provided that steps taken are humane and do not contravene current legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Currently we have no plans to change this policy.
Strategies to reduce fox problems would usually involve non-lethal methods such as preventing access to food sources, improving protection for pets, or the use of repellents. If foxes are to be killed in an urban area we would recommend that this is done by a professional pest controller who would usually use cage trapping followed by humane killing.
An advisory leaflet that describes a number of different approaches that are suitable in urban situations is available from the DEFRA website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/publications/technical/TAN_08.pdf
Gender Equality
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to publish his Department’s gender equality scheme. [101477]
Barry Gardiner: DEFRA’s gender equality scheme will be published by 30 April 2007.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his Department’s major policy developments and new legislation. [101535]
Barry Gardiner: In addressing the forthcoming gender equality duties, DEFRA will continue to place a requirement upon all its business areas to carry out initial equality impact assessments on all its policies, processes and services. Where gender impacts are identified through the initial screening process, a full assessment will then be undertaken.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which he is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men. [101552]
Barry Gardiner: The Department has developed a draft Joint Equality Scheme to address the requirements of equalities legislation. In order to take steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty, DEFRA’s Joint Scheme which currently addresses both disability and race legislation, will now be focused on the new Gender Equality Duties. Work arising from this new legislation will be incorporated into the Department’s Joint Equality scheme.
This Scheme will cover core-DEFRA and those of its Executive Agencies who have elected to be included. NDPBs are set up by statute and are independent of the Department. Although DEFRA will provide guidance and advice on equality legislation it does not hold direct responsibility for them in meeting the requirements of the forthcoming duty.
DEFRA already has established policies to address unlawful discrimination, bullying and harassment within the Department together with an Equal Opportunities policy that covers actions to promote equality between men and women.
The Department will incorporate all its current policies relating to Gender equality legislation into its Joint Equality Scheme.
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