Wednesday Volume 696 26 May 2021 No. 10

HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)

Wednesday 26 May 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 355 26 MAY 2021 356

as well as announcements in the Budget on the kickstart House of Commons scheme and so on, he will see that all these things are addressing the issues on employment for young people Wednesday 26 May 2021 and especially for those young women. (Romsey and Southampton North) The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock (Con) [V]: Evidence shows that mothers have been harder hit by the pandemic than fathers in terms of PRAYERS redundancies and their employment opportunities. Does my hon. Friend support the words of the Secretary of State for International Trade yesterday when she was [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] advocating flexible working in order to overcome some Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Orders, of these problems? Would the Minister, like me, support 4 June and 30 December 2020). seeing job sharing as part of a forthcoming employment Bill? [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] Kemi Badenoch: I always support the Secretary of BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS State for International Trade. It is a pleasure to work with her, and we definitely want to see more flexible HIGHGATE CEMETERY BILL working and more job sharing. I cannot say for certain Bill read a Second time. what will be part of the employment Bill, but we will speak to colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions and across government. Oral Answers to Questions Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP) [V]: The December 2019 Queen’s Speech promised an employment Bill that would extend “redundancy protections to prevent pregnancy and maternity WOMEN AND EQUALITIES discrimination”. Despite ministerial assurances of action during my The Minister for Women and Equalities was asked— Westminster Hall debate on this issue last month, the employment Bill and that promise are nowhere to be seen. Covid-19: Equal Economic Recovery If the UK Government are not going to deliver on their promise to prevent pregnancy and maternity discrimination, Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab): What steps she is will they devolve employment law to Scotland so that taking with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to help the Scottish Parliament can deliver this much-needed ensure an equal economic recovery from the covid-19 reform? outbreak for women. [900670] Kemi Badenoch: This is a very serious issue. We are The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch): We have having a roundtable with the Department for Business, targeted economic support at those who need it most, Energy and Industrial Strategy to look at pregnancy including with unprecedented levels of support in sectors discrimination. I reiterate that covid-19 and the new that are big employers of women, such as retail, hospitality employment Bill do not change the fact that there is a and leisure, with the public sector also being a large law on pregnancy and maternity discrimination—there employer of women. For private firms, the suspension is no place for it in any circumstances. Employers should of business rates until June will save employers almost be regularly reviewing their risk assessments for all £10 billion, helping to protect these jobs. pregnant workers and implementing any controls needed.

Chris Elmore: I thank the Minister for her answer. CharlotteNichols(WarringtonNorth)(Lab):Theeconomic Analysis by the Women’s Budget Group has highlighted impact of covid has hit women disproportionately hard. that young women aged 18 to 25 are the largest group to According to the Women’s Budget Group, 52% of people be furloughed, by age and gender. Will the Minister set who have been furloughed are women, despite their out what discussions she is having with the Chancellor making up only 47% of the workforce. The Government to ensure that those women are supported, so that we have promised to strengthen pregnancy and maternity do not have a lost generation of young women even protections “when parliamentary time allows”. Does the further adversely affected by the pandemic? Minister not agree that this is an urgent priority given that the end of furlough is approaching and there is grave Kemi Badenoch: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his concern about unequal job losses in the autumn? observation. The economic impact of the pandemic by gender is not clearcut. Furlough take-up and redundancy Kemi Badenoch: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer to impacts are affecting men and women differently.Weknow the earlier question; this is not what the evidence tells that women are slightly more likely to have taken up the us. I have seen the Women’s Budget Group report. What furlough scheme, but the latest employment figures we are seeing is that men are more likely to be made continue to show a higher redundancy rate for men. So redundant and women are more likely to be furloughed. our economic package of support is to address everyone, The furlough is part of the economic package of support and if he looks at the support for jobs package, the we have put in place. It is not right to say that women summer economic update that the Chancellor announced, are more economically impacted when they are still 357 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 358 having their jobs, but we do recognise that when the assumed their identity. Personation is very difficult to furlough scheme ends, we may see some changes. We are prove and prosecute, but it is not a victimless crime and working to protect everybody in this crisis, both men it is absolutely right that we resolve the matter. and women. Wehave made a statement on the employment Bill, which is that the Government are committed to Gender-targeted Pricing bringing it forward to protect and enhance workers’ rights. But given the profound impact that the pandemic Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD): Whether is having on the economy and on the labour market, the Government are taking steps to tackle gender-targeted now is not the right time to introduce the employment pricing. [900672] Bill. In the interim, the Government have taken the unprecedented but necessary steps I mentioned to support The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch): Prices business and protect jobs. in the UK are set by competition, not the Government, but it is unlawful to offer goods or services to women Voter ID: Equalities Impact Assessments and men at a range of different prices. The Equality Act 2010 provides that a retailer must not discriminate Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/ against the customer either by failing to provide goods Co-op): What equalities impact assessments the or services, or by providing them on different terms, on Government have conducted on their proposals to introduce the basis of someone’s sex. voter ID. [900671] Christine Jardine: It is more than two years since I The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch): The first raised this issue in this place and very little has Government take their public sector equality duty extremely changed: women still pay, on average, 20% more for seriously. In 2021, the commissioned a basic goods and services. We have heard already today nationally representative survey on the ownership of photo that women have been hardest hit in this pandemic and identification. The findings from that research and our we know there is a gender pay gap. If someone comes, ongoing engagement with the Electoral Commission like me, from a single-parent family with three daughters, and other stakeholders, including a wide range of charities that family faces a much bigger challenge in the current and civil society organisations, will continue to inform circumstances. The Minister has said that it is unlawful; our plans to ensure that voter identification is rolled out will the Government please take steps to ensure that the in a way that is inclusive for all voters. 2010 Act is enforced when it comes to gender-targeted pricing? Meg Hillier: I could probably write an essay on identity documents, having been responsible for the Kemi Badenoch: It is probably worth my letting the matter when I was in government a decade ago. I am hon. Lady know that I understand what she says but particularly concerned about constituents of mine who disagree with the premise and the argument she makes. are Commonwealth citizens, who are often seeking to It is important to recognise that in a legal sense there is achieve status in the UK but whose identity documents no discrimination involved in gender pricing, as there is are with the Home Office—they do not have those identity nothing to stop a woman buying a product marketed documentstoprovethattheycanvote.WhatistheMinister’s towards men, or vice versa. The Government want a solution for those individuals? society in which women and men are free to make the choices that suit them, regardless of rigid stereotypes. I Kemi Badenoch: The legislation will make it clear that am afraid I think that the Bill the hon. Lady wanted to local authorities must provide a voter card free of charge enact would actually have had the unintended consequence if an elector does not have one of the approved forms of of reinforcing stereotypes. photographic identification. STEAM Subjects: Gender-balanced Representation Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab): Research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People shows that Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) (Con): one in 10 blind voters and less than half of partially What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for sighted voters could vote independently and in secret at Education on increasing gender-balanced representation the most recent general election. That is unacceptable. in take up of STEAM subjects. [900673] Given the barriers, is the Minister not concerned that the introduction of voter ID will only make it even more The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education difficultforpeoplelivingwithsightlosstovoteindependently (): The Government are committed to ensuring and in secret? that more women can take up the opportunities in science and technology. Currently, only one in five of Kemi Badenoch: We looked into the impact of voter the technology workforce are women, but projects such ID on disabled voters, and our research, which draws as the skills bootcamps aim to turn that around. Of the on the most comprehensive information available, indicates 2,799 attendees at our first bootcamps, 47% were women. that 97% of disabled electors report having at least one In the west midlands, the courses on women in data and form of photographic identification, so we do not believe women in software were oversubscribed by around four that it will affect them. As I mentioned in response to times. We are investing another £43 million to provide the previous question, we will have legislation that will another 16,000 places. make it clear that local authorities must provide a voter card free of charge so that people will still be able to Stuart Anderson: Science, technology and biomedicine vote. We must remember why we are doing this: no one have been at the forefront of our response to the covid-19 should lose their right to vote because someone else has crisis and they will help us on our road to recovery. 359 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 360

What steps is my hon. Friend taking to ensure that we by the national tutoring programme and the holiday get more people into those careers, including stem cell activities and food programme, which will also help those research for women? students.

Vicky Ford: My hon. Friend is absolutely right: bioscience Nicola Richards: Young people in my constituency is a really important area and never more so than deserve the very best opportunities outside of education. during this pandemic. It is our chemists, our biochemists That is why I have been campaigning for an OnSide youth and our biologists who are leading our way out of centre in West Bromwich, which has proved so successful covid. The work that we do through our science learning in Wolverhampton. Will my hon. Friend support my partnerships aims to increase the take-up of triple science campaign for a state-of-the-art youth centre, backed by at GCSE—chemistry, physics and biology—and that will local business, so that we can truly level up opportunities make sure that more of our young people can become for young people in West Bromwich East? the scientists of the future. Vicky Ford: I massively congratulate my hon. Friend Prison Places for Women on her true passion and interest in the young people of West Bromwich. The Government recognise the impact of youth services, which are improving the life chances Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab): What recent and wellbeing of young people. The Government have discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for already funded OnSide with £6 million last year to support Justice on plans to increase the number of prison places young people during the pandemic. Another £30 million for women. [900674] of the Youth Investment Fund has been committed as capital investment for 2021-22. That will provide investment The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice in new resources as well as in refurbished safe spaces. (Alex Chalk): Investing in the women’s custodial estate Further details of the timetable and allocations will be will improve conditions for female prisoners through announced very soon, and I recommend that my hon. modern, gender-specific and trauma-informed design. Friend keeps a sharp look out for that announcement. It will further ensure capacity is in place to give effect to sentences imposed by courts. Covid-19: Disabled People in the Workplace

Janet Daby [V]: When mothers are imprisoned for Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP): minor offences, the separation and loss for the child are What steps she is taking to support disabled people in detrimental to their wellbeing. The charity Women in the workplace during the covid-19 outbreak. [900676] Prison tells us that the most effective way to tackle the causes of crime and to prevent women from reoffending The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work is to invest in women’scentres.Given that the Government’s and Pensions (Guy Opperman): Over the past year, there own female offender strategy pledges to reduce the have been 2,500 more Disability Confident employers, a number of women in prison, why are they proposing to much more flexible system and greater extended support invest £150 million on new female prison places, and through Access to Work going forward. what representation has the Minister made to recommit to reducing the number of women in prison? Marion Fellows [V]: According to the Business Disability Forum, 11% of employers furloughed a disabled employee Alex Chalk: It is important that we continue to invest at the beginning of the pandemic after failing to provide in women’s centres in the community, and that is exactly reasonable adjustments. Disabled people have already what we are doing. For the very reason that the hon. been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, but Lady makes about keeping relationships with the family, it is clear that disabled workers are continuing to be part of the money that she refers to will go to providing forced out of employment through a lack of access to accommodation so that individuals can make family reasonable adjustments. Will the Government introduce visits to those women sentenced to custody, to keep those mandatory timescales for employer-implementation of relationships going. Prisons need to be a place of security, reasonable adjustments and end the Access to Work but they must also be a place of humanity, rehabilitation payment cap to prevent the disability employment gap and hope, and that is what we are investing in. from widening further? Guy Opperman: As I outlined earlier, there are greater Equality of Opportunity for UK Children numbers of Disability Confident employers and Access to Work has been adapted during covid to help the Nicola Richards (West Bromwich East) (Con): What disabled,withgreateronlineassistance,extendedtimeframes, steps she is taking to help ensure that children throughout flexibility, mental health support and much, much more, the UK have equality of opportunity. [900686] about which I will get the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, my hon. Friend the Member for The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), to write in specific (Vicky Ford): This Government believe in levelling up detail to the hon. Lady. for people of all ages and we are investing more in the education of students from lower-income families so Conversion Therapies that they can unlock opportunities. Our weighted national funding formula and the pupil premium fund academic Dehenna Davison (Bishop Auckland) (Con): What steps interventions as well as important pastoral initiatives her Department is taking to bring forward legislative and are further supplemented during this difficult time proposals to end conversion therapy. [900678] 361 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 362

Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) improve women’s and girls’ participation in science, (Lab): What progress her Department has made on technology, engineering and mathematics education and bringing forward legislative proposals to ban conversion industries? therapies. [900684] Elizabeth Truss: I am pleased to say that the GEAC is The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss): packed with inspirational STEM leaders, such as Professor We set out in the Queen’s Speech our intention to ban Sarah Gilbert, who spearheaded the Oxford vaccine, conversion therapy, which is an abhorrent practice. We and the CERN director general Dr Fabiola Gianotti; will consult in September and legislate as soon as possible. they are leading figures. A key aim of the GEAC is to We are also putting in place support for victims. ensure that more girls and women are involved in the industries of the future such as technology and science, Mr Speaker: Let us go to Dehenna Davison. so that they can get those well-paid jobs and help to drive forward progress across the world. Dehenna Davison [V]: Thank you, Mr Speaker; I hope you can hear me today. Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab): At the G7 summit in August 2019, the Government made three I was really delighted to see the ban on conversion commitments for domestic progress on gender equality: therapy appear in the Queen’s Speech, but, as we know, delivery of the Domestic Abuse Bill; reform of parental conversion therapy is an issue not just in the UK, but leave; and action on workplace sexual harassment. But right around the globe. Does my right hon. Friend agree last year just 3.5% of fathers took shared parental leave, that these practices should not just be outlawed in the and the TUC found that one in two women experience UK, but that we should work with our global partners sexual harassment at work. We are still waiting for the to support LGBT safety worldwide? Government to respond to consultations on both those issues. What does the Minister think it says about her Elizabeth Truss: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. record that only one of those commitments has so far That is why we are proud that we are instituting the been completed? When will she bring forward reforms UK’s first ever international LGBT conference under to these schemes? the theme of “Safe To Be Me”, which is about protecting people from persecution worldwide. The conference will Elizabeth Truss: As the hon. Member points out, we be led by Lord Herbert and will take place in June next have brought forward and enacted the leading Domestic year. I look forward to welcoming my hon. Friend to Abuse Act 2021. The Minister for Safeguarding is on appear at it. the Front Bench; she has done a fantastic job on that. Wewill shortly be bringing forward the response on sexual Dame Diana Johnson [V]: I am pleased that the harassment. Moreover, I want to ensure that at this consultation will be starting soon. Does the Secretary year’s G7 leaders across the world are held to account of State intend for the Cass review to be part of the for their record in protecting women and girls. consultation, and will the consultation address issues of sexual orientation and gender identity? Topical Questions Elizabeth Truss: The consultation will address the issues of gender identity and sexual orientation. The Cass [900710] Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) review is taking place separately; that is a matter for the (Con): If she will make a statement on her departmental Department of Health, but of course we want to ensure responsibilities. that the under-18s are protected from making irreversible decisions about their own future. The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss): The UK is using our presidency of the G7 this year to UK’s Presidency of the G7: Gender Equality champion women’s and girls’ rights at home and around the world with an independent Gender Equality Advisory Council to bring fresh ideas and new voices to the heart (Hertford and Stortford) (Con): What steps of G7 discussions. The council met for the second time last she is taking with the Secretary of State for Foreign, week, and I look forward to hearing its recommendations Commonwealth and Development Affairs to promote to G7 leaders in June. It is important that women and gender equality through the UK’s presidency of the G7. girls are at the heart of our plans to build back better. [900679] Stuart Anderson: In the recent Queen’s Speech there The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss): were many opportunities to level up across the country, We have a huge opportunity, as we recover from covid-19, including in my great constituency of Wolverhampton for women across the world to build back better. That is South West. What is my right hon. Friend doing to see why I have convened a group of leaders in the G7 that we can unleash the potential of some of our more Gender Equality Advisory Council, under the leadership deprived areas to build back better after covid? of Sarah Sands, to push for better education for women and girls, economic empowerment and ending violence Elizabeth Truss: We are determined to tackle the against women across the world. scourge of geographical inequality. That is why we have taken on responsibility for the Social Mobility Commission, Julie Marson: I thank my right hon. Friend for her which is going to focus on the three Es—employment, response; that is great news. Can she tell me whether the education and enterprise—and we are currently recruiting Gender Equality Advisory Council will be working to a chair to spearhead that agenda. 363 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 364

[900715] Kate Osborne (Jarrow) (Lab): How will the The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch): The Secretary of State ensure that the voices of survivors of former LGBT advisory panel’s tenure ended on 31 March so-called conversion therapy and the people who 2021. I am grateful to its members for the important support them will be heard in the consultation on a Bill insights that they have provided on important policy to outlaw all conversion therapies, which have no place areas such as ending conversion therapy and the impact in all settings and all LGBT+ statuses, regardless of of covid on LGBT people. The Prime Minister has whether someone is consenting or coerced? appointed Lord Herbert as special envoy for LGBT rights. That role will have an international and domestic Elizabeth Truss: My hon. Friend the Minister for focus, and I am confident that we will be able to work Equalities has already met survivors of conversion therapy, with our international partners on this issue. We believe and we are determined that they should be closely involved that the current provisions in the Gender Recognition in the consultation we are holding on the forthcoming Act 2004 Act allow for those who wish legally to change legislation. I completely agree with the hon. Lady: it is their genders to do so, so that it is safe to be them and an abhorrent practice that we need to stop in the United they have the right to be themselves. We have therefore Kingdom. decided, as we have said before to my hon. Friend, that the Act will not be changed. [900711] Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con): In Redcar and Cleveland, and across the country, the pandemic has [900717] Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab) left many people without the certainty of work, but [V]: My constituent Julia was breastfeeding her child in particularly those disabled and differently abled people a park when a stranger started taking long-lens photos who already feel disadvantaged in the jobs market. We of her. She and I were shocked that there was nothing have announced an ambitious plan for jobs, but can the that could be done about this unwelcome intrusion. Minister point to specific interventions he is making to Does the Minister think this is an acceptable situation help more disabled people into work in Redcar and and, if not, will she support action to prevent this kind Cleveland and the wider Tees Valley? of voyeurism?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the and Pensions (Guy Opperman): There has been an 800% Home Department (Victoria Atkins): I thank the hon. increase in Disability Confident employers in the Durham- Member for raising this very important topic. This is Tees Valley area. The newly re-elected Conservative totally unacceptable behaviour and I hope he will welcome Tees Valley Mayor,Ben Houchen, and our new Hartlepool the Government’s forthcoming violence against women MP are utterly committed to ensuring that more disabled and girls strategy, which we will be publishing later this people get access to work and into work. year, drawing in the views of more than 180,000 members of the public to help shape our policies for the coming [900716] Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) decade. This is unacceptable and we will deal with it. (SNP) [V]: In the UK, two weeks’ parental leave and pay is in place after stillbirth, but there is no such support for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage before PRIME MINISTER 24 weeks of pregnancy. Will the Minister support my calls to the UK Government and allow families to grieve for their profound loss by legislating for paid leave for The Prime Minister was asked— everyone that experiences miscarriage? Engagements The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Paul Scully): I am grateful [900655] Dr (Central Suffolk and North to the hon. Lady for raising that point. We have looked Ipswich) (Con): If he will list his official engagements at seeking to change the rules about neonatal leave. Any for Wednesday 26 May. grieving situation is incredibly difficult, but as we work towards the employment Bill, we will make sure that we The Prime Minister (): The thoughts of the can come up with a rounded view for anybody that is House, following the decision by the court this morning, grieving. will be with the family and friends of the Hillsborough 96 and the hundreds more who were injured. I know that the Crown Prosecution Service has said it will meet with [900712] (Reigate) (Con) [V]: Yesterday the families again to answer any questions they may my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said to the have. Select Committee that she ended the role of her LGBT advisory panel because there were basic disagreements I know colleagues from across the House will want to over the rights of trans people to self-ID. Argentina, our join me in paying tribute to our former colleague, Mike co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition, whose conference Weatherley, who sadly died last week. He was a dedicated we host next June, has legally accommodated self-ID for parliamentarian and a fantastic servant to the people trans people since 2012 without a problem, and now of Hove. more members of the coalition are following Argentina’s This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues example without a problem. How is she going to find a and others. In addition to my duties in this House, new panel that both has authority and agrees with her in I shall have further such meetings later today. the continuing refusal to accept the right of trans people to self-ID? Can she explain how Britain can host a Dr Poulter [V]: I draw the House’s attention to my conference entitled “Safe To Be Me”without supporting declaration in the Register of Members’Financial Interests the right to be “me”? as a practising NHS doctor who has been working on 365 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 366 the frontline of the NHS during the pandemic. My right Keir Starmer: It is no good the Prime Minister attacking hon. Friend will be aware that the Health and Social me. It is his former chief adviser who is looking back Care Act 2012 resulted in local authority commissioning and telling the world how useless the Prime Minister of addiction services. Ten years later, almost all addiction was in taking key decisions—his former adviser. services are now run by non-NHS providers. The result One of the most serious points made this morning is is that the numbers in alcohol treatment have fallen, that the Prime Minister failed to recognise the severity many alcohol detoxes take place in an unplanned manner, of this virus until it was too late, dismissing it as and opiate and alcohol deaths are at record levels. Does another “scare story” like the swine flu. Does the Prime my right hon. Friend agree that, for the sake of patients, Minister recognise that account of his own behaviour? we must bring the commissioning and provision of If so, will he apologise for being so complacent about addiction services back to the NHS, and will he meet the threat that this virus posed? me and experts in this field to discuss how we can get this right? The Prime Minister: I do not think anybody could The Prime Minister: I want to thank my hon. Friend credibly accuse this Government of being complacent for everything that he has done throughout this pandemic about the threat that this virus posed at any point. We in the NHS, but also for raising this vital issue. I am have worked flat out to minimise loss of life and to proud that under this Government we are seeing the protect the NHS, while the Opposition have flip-flopped biggest increase for 15 years in treatment for substance from one position to another, backing curfew one day abuse, but the specific points he raises we will make sure and opposing it the next, backing lockdowns one day we address with Dame Carol Black, who is undertaking and opposing them the next, calling for tougher border a review of drugs and treatment. We will make sure that controls one day and then saying that quarantine is a his point is fed in. blunt instrument the next. We have got on with the job of protecting the people of this country from one of the Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras) (Lab): May I worst pandemics in living memory, if not the worst in join the Prime Minister in his comments about Hillsborough living memory. We have turned the corner, and it is no and Mike Weatherley? thanks to the loyal Opposition. This morning, the Prime Minister’s former closest adviser said: Keir Starmer: I can see that the evidence of his former “When the public needed us most the Government failed.” adviser is really getting to the Prime Minister this morning Does the Prime Minister agree with that? in that response. The Prime Minister: The handling of this pandemic Another incredibly serious statement from the Prime has been one of the most difficult things this country Minister’s former adviser this morning concerns the has had to do for a very long time. None of the conduct of the Health Secretary, including an allegation decisions has been easy. To go into a lockdown is a that the Health Secretary misled other Ministers and traumatic thing for a country. To deal with a pandemic officials on a number of occasions. I do not expect the on this scale has been appallingly difficult. We have at Prime Minister to respond to that, but can he confirm: every stage tried to minimise loss of life—to save lives did the Cabinet Secretary advise the Prime Minister and to protect the NHS—and we have followed the best that he—the Cabinet Secretary—had scientific advice that we can. “lost confidence in the Secretary of State’s honesty”? Keir Starmer: Can I remind the Prime Minister that one year ago, almost to the day, he said of his former The Prime Minister: The answer to that is no. I am adviser afraid I have not had the benefit of seeing the evidence that the right hon. and learned Gentleman is bringing “in every respect he has acted responsibly, legally and with integrity”? to the House, but I must say that I think what the people of this country want us all to do is to get on with This morning that same adviser has said that senior the delicate business of trying to reopen our economy, Ministers—these are his words— restore people’s freedoms and get back to our way of “fell disastrously short of the standards that the public has a right life by rolling out the vaccine. I would have thought that to expect of its government” that was a much more profitable line of inquiry for the and that lives were lost as a result. Does the Prime Minister right hon. and learned Gentleman today. That is what I accept that central allegation and that his inaction led think the people of this country want us to focus on. to needless deaths? The Prime Minister: No. Of course, all those matters Keir Starmer: The Prime Minister cannot have it both will be reviewed in the course of the public inquiry that ways. Either his former adviser is telling the truth, in I have announced. I notice that the right hon. and which case the Prime Minister should answer the allegations, learned Gentleman is fixated, as ever, on the rear-view or the Prime Minister has to suggest that his former mirror, while we on this side of the House are getting on adviser is not telling the truth, which raises serious with our job of rolling out the vaccines, making sure questionsaboutthePrimeMinister’sjudgmentinappointing that we protect the people of this country. That has him in the first place. There is a pattern of behaviour been the decisive development on which I think people here. There was clearly a lack of planning, poor decision are rightly focusing. I can tell the House that, in spite of making, a lack of transparency and a Prime Minister the continuing concern that we have about the Indian who was absent from the key decisions, including five variant, we are increasing our vaccination programme early Cobra meetings, and who was, to quote his former at such a rate that we can now ask everybody over 30 to adviser, come forward and get vaccinated. “1,000 times far too obsessed with the media”. 367 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 368

Another central allegation briefed overnight is that to the Discovery School in Kings Hill, but he probably the Prime Minister delayed the circuit break over the remembers best his meeting with Tony Hudgell, an autumn half-term because covid was “only killing 80-year- amazing and inspirational young boy, who had at that olds”. I remind the Prime Minister that over 83,000 people point already raised a million and a half pounds for over 80 have lost their lives to this virus and that his charity and been awarded by my right hon. Friend the decision to delay for 40 days, from the SAGE guidance Points of Light award, which he so generously hands on 21 September until 31 October, will be seen as one of out to those who have achieved so much. Will he join the single biggest failings of the last year. Having been Tony, Tony’s parents, Paula and Mark, me and many told of the evidence, does the Prime Minister accept others around the country in campaigning for Tony’s that he used the words “Covid is only killing 80-year-olds” law—new clause 56 to the Police, Crime, Sentencing or words to that effect? and Courts Bill? This is a very minor change to a very important Bill that would bring child abuse sentencing The Prime Minister: We saw what happened during in line with that for adult abuse. I know he has put his the pandemic. Particularly, the right hon. and learned heart into this space, and I am sure we can all look Gentleman talks about the September lockdown and forward to his support. my approach to it, and the very, very difficult decision that the country faced. Of course, this will be a matter The Prime Minister: I thank my hon. Friend, and of for the inquiry to go into, but we have an objective test, course I remember Tony very well. I remember his incredible in the sense that there was a circuit breaker, of the kind campaign and the amount of money he raised, and I he describes, in Wales. It did not work, and I am absolutely thank him for it. All I can say is it is very important that confident that we took the decisions in the best interests cases like that—injustices such as that suffered by Tony— of the British people. When it comes to hindsight, I just receive the full force of the law. People who commit remind him that he actually—he denied this at the time serious offences against children can receive exactly the and then had to correct it—voted to stay in the European same penalties as those who commit serious offences Medicines Agency, which would have made it impossible against adults, but we will keep this under review, and if for us to do the vaccine roll-out at the pace that we have. there is a gap in the law—I will study his amendment very closely—we will make sure that we remedy it. Keir Starmer: It is not me giving evidence this morning; it is his former adviser, and I note the Prime Minister is Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP): May careful not to refute these allegations. What we are I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s remarks on seeing today is the latest chapter of a story of confusion, those seeking justice for Hillsborough? To quote the chaos and deadly misjudgments from this Government— song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” from a Prime Minister governing by press release, not a One hundred and twenty-eight thousand people have plan. In the last 24 hours, we have seen the same mistakes died of coronavirus in the United Kingdom. This morning made again, with the ridiculous way 1.7 million people the Prime Minister’s most senior former adviser, Dominic inBolton,Burnley,Bedford,Blackburn,Kirklees,Hounslow, Cummings, apologised on behalf of the UK Government. Leicester and North Tyneside have been treated. In the He said: light of the drip of these very serious allegations, the failure of the Prime Minister to provide even basic answers and “When the public needed us most” continuing mistakes affecting millions of people, does we “failed.” We know the Prime Minister made a series the Prime Minister now recognise he must bring forward of catastrophic errors throughout the crisis: he went on the timing of the public inquiry into covid, and that it holiday when he should have been leading efforts to should start this summer and as soon as possible? tackle the pandemic; he was too slow to go into lockdown; he failed to secure our borders; he sent millions of The Prime Minister: No. As I have said before, I am people back to their offices prematurely. There is no not going to concentrate valuable official time on that doubt that these mistakes cost many thousands of lives. now while we are still battling a pandemic. I thought When even a disgraced figure like Dominic Cummings actually that was what the House had agreed on. The is willing to own up and apologise, is it not time that the right hon. and learned Gentleman continues to play Prime Minister does the same? these pointless political games, while we get on with delivering on the people’s priorities: 40 new hospitals; The Prime Minister: I take full responsibility for 8,771 more police on our streets; we are getting on with everything that has happened, and as I have said before, sorting out the railways; we are giving people—young as the right hon. Gentleman will recall, both in this people—the opportunity of home ownership in a way House and elsewhere, I am truly sorry for the suffering they have never had before, with 95% mortgages; and that the people of this country have experienced. But I we have vaccinated. We have delivered 60 million maintain my point that the Government acted throughout vaccinations across this country, more than—he loves with the intention to save life and protect the NHS, and these European comparisons—anyother European country, in accordance with the best scientific advice; that is including 22 million second doses. That, with great exactly what we did. respect to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, is I believe the priority of the British people. That is really Ian Blackford: The evidence we have heard this morning what they are focused on, while he voted to stay in the is extraordinary but, sadly, not surprising. It paints a European Medicines Agency. The Opposition vacillate; familiar pattern of behaviour: a negligent Prime Minister we vaccinate. They deliberate; we deliver. more concerned with his own self-interest than the interests of the United Kingdom. When people were [900658] (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con): dying, the United Kingdom Government were considering I am sure my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister chicken pox parties and joking about injecting the Prime remembers with great fondness his trip in July last year Minister with covid live on TV. 369 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 370

Wehad a circus act when we needed serious Government: Trevor Basin, improvements for Chirk and Llangollen, is it not the case that when the country needed leadership and investment in Corwen station and the surrounding most the Prime Minister was missing in action? Thousands area? have paid the ultimate price for his failure; when will the Prime Minister finally accept responsibility for the failures The Prime Minister: May I tell my hon. Friend what a of his Government? joy it is to hear him campaigning for Chirk, Corwen and Llangollen after I tramped around those beautiful The Prime Minister: As I have said repeatedly in this places entirely fruitlessly many, many years ago in search House, I take full responsibility for everything that the of the Conservative vote? Thank you for what you have Government did and will continue to do so, and one of done. Thank you for continuing to champion those the reasons why we have set up an independent public wonderful and beautiful spots. inquiry is that I believe the people of this country deserve to have daylight shone on all the issues the right [900656] Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) hon. Gentleman raised. I must say that I do not recognise (Lab): When any Member of this House is suspended the events that he describes, but I do think that we acted for 10 days or more because of a Standards Committee throughout with the intention of saving life, of protecting report, constituents can then recall that Member. When the NHS and of taking the country through the worst the Independent Expert Panel suspends a Member, that pandemic for 100 years, and I think it is also true that cannot happen. The Prime Minister was talking a moment we are in a much more fortunate position now thanks to ago about closing loopholes in legislation. Will he introduce the efforts of the British people and the fastest vaccine emergency legislation to close this particular loophole? roll-out in Europe, and I am grateful for that as well. Does he agree that it would be completely dishonourable for any Member to exploit that loophole, and that they [900660] Mark Jenkinson (Workington) (Con): I spent should instead do the decent thing and resign? MondaymorningattheFitzcountryhouseinCockermouth with an alpaca called Boris. Cumbria sees significant The Prime Minister: I take that point very seriously. I numbers of tourists in any normal year, but Cumbria is will study the implications of what the hon. Gentleman not just lakes: we have some real gems in my constituency says. If the he is referring to a Conservative Member who of Workington outside the national park. With a real has recently had the Whip taken away, he can take it that opportunity for the UK hospitality industry this year as that Member has already had condign punishment. people choose to holiday here, will my right hon. Friend consider taking a short break in my constituency, where [900665] Katherine Fletcher (South Ribble) (Con): Last I might facilitate an introduction to Boris? Thursday at about 1 o’clock in the morning three young people popped out to Maccy D’s, as you do, and noticed The Prime Minister: I am very grateful to my hon. a Leyland shop massively on fire. Did they drive past? Friend and would love to come and meet the alpaca No. They rang the fire brigade. They stopped. They called Boris, but, more importantly, we want to support recruited a passer-by. They climbed over fences and tourism in his constituency, which is why we have so far walls to raise the alarm for the residents living in the provided over £25 billion of support, including £1.5 million flats above. During the pandemic, community spirit has to support projects such as the Carnegie Theatre Trust—and been really important to all of us keeping going. Does since this week is English Tourism Week I encourage the Prime Minister share my admiration for Kim, Zach, everyone to make the most of the tourism on their Shania and Robin, and will he join me in thanking them doorstep. for showing British community spirit and true Lancashire grit? Stephen Farry (North Down) (Alliance) [V]: The EU settlement scheme closes on 30 June. While the Home The Prime Minister: Yes. I thank my hon. Friend for Office has finally published guidance on late applications singling out this intrepid act of quick-thinking and the Government are failing to provide clarity. What will selflessness. I pay tribute to Kim, Zach, Shania and happen to those who miss the deadline and then fall Robin, and I hope they got their Maccy D’s. under the remit of illegal working legislation? Can the Prime Minister assure the House that EU citizens or [900657] Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op): non-EU family members who miss the deadline will not There are over 4.3 million children—and rising—growing face potential criminal liability if they continue to go up in poverty, including some 18,000 in Harrow. Will into work? the Prime Minister agree to put right the error of a previous Prime Minister,and commit to publish a strategy The Prime Minister: I am sure the law will be extremely to tackle child poverty and ensure that no child is left merciful to anybody who finds themselves in a difficult behind? position, but I would just remind the hon. Gentleman that so far 5.4 million EU nationals have applied successfully The Prime Minister: It is vital that we tackle child for the EU settlement scheme, which as far as I remember poverty, and that is why we are levelling up across the is about 2 million more EU nationals than we thought country with the biggest programme of investment for a we were in the country in the first place. generation, if not more.Weare also seeing fewer households now with children in poverty than 10 years ago, but I [900661] Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) (Con): Will the perfectly accept that there is more to be done. Prime Minister join me in praising Wrexham and Denbighshire councils for the dynamic proposals they [900667] Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) (Con): are putting forward in their joint bid for the levelling I very much welcome the fact that the Government are up fund in Clwyd South, including regeneration of the investing heavily in upgrading rail networks across the 371 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 372 country, including opening lines that have previously [900662] Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op) been closed. As a Conservative Government, we have a [V]: I have asked the Prime Minister a series of questions particular responsibility to the taxpayer to ensure value about charities. In November, he promised support. By for money. The business case for East West Rail in my March he had turned his back, but this month, he broke constituency is largely based on commuting, but the that promise, giving them nothing this winter. His words pandemic means we are in the middle of a workplace and deeds are as unfaithful as his principles and beliefs. revolution. If in future people work from home on average He has neither the commitment to honour his word, the two days a week, that will mean a 40% reduction in capacity to care, nor the compassion to act. Does the commuting. Will my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister Prime Minister really believe that charity is all about commit to doing a review of East West Rail’s business supporting him and his lifestyle or recognise that charities case to ensure it remains value for money and to take into now £10 billion in debt and struggling to survive need account the long-term impact of the pandemic? Government support to help people in real need? ThePrimeMinister:Myhon.Friendisagreatcampaigner for Cambridgeshire and the rights of the people of The Prime Minister: I think charities perform an Cambridgeshire. However, my strong feeling is that it amazing and invaluable role in our society and in our would be a mistake now to go slow on investment in lives, and we need them. That is why we have supported infrastructure purely on the basis that we think people charity shops throughout the lockdown with restart will start working from home. My long experience of grants—the road map means that those shops are now this is that people need to travel and they will travel. The able to open again—but, in addition, we had a £750 million commuter bustle will come back, and it needs to come targeted package of support for charities, helping more back. than 14,000 organisations across the country, including funding for hospices, homelessness charities, shelters [900659] Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) for victims of domestic abuse and many others. (Lab): A global minimum rate for corporate tax would help to tackle tax avoidance by large multinational (Waveney) (Con): The fishing industry corporations and online giants. It would stop them in East Anglia has had a hard time of it in recent years. undercutting British businesses who pay their fair share, However, with done, albeit in a way that left and it would make a transformational difference to high many disappointed, there is now an opportunity to turn streets and town centres at the heart of communities the corner. The REAF—renaissance of East Anglian across the UK. Why is the Prime Minister the only G7 fisheries—strategy sets out an exciting and ambitious leader not to support this proposal? Why is he on the programme for the future. Is the Prime Minister able to side of tax avoiders, instead of British businesses and sayhowtheGovernmentwillworkwithfishingcommunities, communities? such as that in Lowestoft, to revive the industry in East Anglia? The Prime Minister: It was only a few months ago that the Labour Front Benchers opposed the corporation tax increases we put in. They are now opposed to the The Prime Minister: I thank my hon. Friend for what Government’s ability to cut corporation tax. Which side he is doing to champion the fisheries industry in East are they on? They have got to make their minds up. Anglia. I like his REAF plan. I think it has lots of interesting ideas, which we will take forward as part of [900668] Sir Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) our £100 million package to support the fishing industry (Con) [V]: Like me, the Prime Minister represents a and get ready to take advantage of those opportunities constituency in London’s commuter land, so he will be that are coming very swiftly down the track towards us. well aware of the small businesses—sole traders, many of them—who operate the coffee stores, newsagents and [900663] Ben Lake (Ceredigion) (PC): NHS and social so on at our railway stations. Their incomes have been care staff in Wales are due to receive a £500 bonus in absolutely decimated during the pandemic, but they are recognition of their hard work during the pandemic, finding, like my constituent Sanjay Sharma at Chislehurst but staff on universal credit stand to lose out due to the station, that when they seek to get a reduced level of rent way in which the award is recognised in the regulations to reflect their reduced turnover, the train operating as earned income, so instead of receiving a thank you companies claim that the funding agreement put in bonus at the end of the month, many NHS and social place with the Department for Transport does not give care staff will be punished with a deduction of up to them the discretion to do so. The Department appears 63% from their universal credit. Will the Prime Minister to say differently, and they have been going around in look to amend regulation 55 of the Universal Credit circles for months trying to get an answer. Will the Regulations 2013 to create an exemption to ensure that Prime Minister use the authority of his office, please, to all NHS and social care staff in Wales benefit fully from bang heads together and get a solution for them, because this well-deserved bonus? if they go broke and we have empty units, that is no income for anybody? The Prime Minister: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman The Prime Minister: We introduced a policy to provide for raising that point. Of course, I want to repeat my rent relief for station businesses in March last year. All gratitude to the nurses of this country and the NHS and train operators, including Southeastern in my hon. Friend’s social care staff who have done incredible work throughout constituency, are able to offer business support to their this pandemic. He makes a particular point about the stations. I understand the point he makes about the tapering in universal credit, and I will make sure that he discrepancy of views.Can I undertake to arrange a meeting has a meeting with the relevant Minister, who will set with him and the relevant Minister to take it forward? out the detail on the issue he has raised. 373 Oral Answers 26 MAY 2021 Oral Answers 374

Mr (Woking) (Con) [V]: On behalf of [900666] Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill) (Lab): my constituent Seema Misra and other wrongly convicted Covid has triggered the first global rise in extreme sub-postmasters, I am grateful that the vital inquiry of poverty this century, but at the G7 the Prime Minister Sir Wyn Williams into that scandal has now been given could act. He can ask leaders to reallocate the International more teeth. However, there is widespread concern, shared Monetary Fund’s £1 trillion-worth of special drawing by Post Office CEO Nick Read, that the compensation rights and restock the World Bank’s £83 billion-worth received by the sub-postmasters who were party to the of International Development Association funds. This civil litigation at the High Court was simply not fair. I is a multi-billion pound package of support for the urge the Prime Minister to ensure that those civil litigant world’s poorest. Will the Prime Minister today commit sub-postmasters will be included in the anticipated to leading that argument at the G7, so that a pandemic Government compensation scheme. of disease does not now become a pandemic of poverty? The Prime Minister: I thank my hon. Friend for The Prime Minister: I thank the right hon. Gentleman. raising that issue—a tragic case of injustice. I have met It is great to see him in his place—it is always great to some of the postmasters and sub-postmasters who have see him in this place. Actually, I have had conversations been affected by that miscarriage of justice. As he on that very matter already with Kristalina Georgiera. knows, the Government were not party to the initial litigation, nor the settlement that was agreed, but we are (Sevenoaks) (Con): One of the many determined to ensure that postmasters and sub-postmasters awful things about the past year has been the inability are fairly compensated for what happened. to visit family and friends in hospital. It has caused immense anguish for many of my constituents. We are [900664] Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an seeing some progress locally and I hope that, with the Iar) (SNP): Brexit and Scottish independence are, indeed, brilliant roll-out of the vaccine, we will see more, but very different, but referendums are much the same. In can the Prime Minister inform the House when normal 2016, without interference, the EU respected the UK in visiting hours will resume for all hospitals nationwide? the Brexit referendum process. Unfortunately, the last Scottish referendum did not see Scotland get the same The Prime Minister: I know that my hon. Friend respect. London politicians promised Scotland a place speaks for many millions of people who have wanted to in the European Union. They won that referendum, visit loved ones and I know the anguish that they have very clearly, on broken promises. In the autumn, when felt. We need to balance those wholly legitimate feelings the Scots Government have dealt with the health effects with the need to manage the risk of infection, as I know of the pandemic, the economic part of it will require my hon. Friend understands very well. We will update independence, as Norway and Ireland prove. So, Prime the guidance as soon as it is possible to do so. Minister, will Scotland be shown the same respect in the UK as the UK got in the EU, and this time can our [900669] Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) (Lab): Tala, 13, democracy not be interfered with, and our referendum Rula, just five years old, her big sister Yara, aged nine: certainly not blocked? three Palestinian children killed in an Israeli air- strike. The Israeli military murdered 63 other children and The Prime Minister: We respected the referendum 245 Palestinians in its recent assault on Gaza. The call result of 2014, which was a very substantial majority in for Palestinian freedom has never been louder, but this favour of remaining in the UK, keeping our wonderful Conservative Government are complicit in its denial. country together, not breaking it up. That was what the They have approved more than £400 million in arms to people of Scotland rightly voted for, and they did so in Israel since 2015, so can the Prime Minister look me in the belief that it was a once-in-a-generation event. theeyeandtellmethatBritish-madeweaponsorcomponents were not used in the war crimes that killed these three Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) (Con): For almost childrenandhundredsof otherPalestinians?[Interruption.] 500 years the Royal Navy has protected our country from foes and protected the freedom of our friends Mr Speaker: Order. I remind hon. Members that we around the world. The pride of our navy, HMS Queen should not use props. Elizabeth, sailed this week with her strike group. Within her she carries the British values of freedom, justice and The Prime Minister: I think that the whole House democracy, so can my right hon. Friend tell me, as she understands that nobody wants to see any more of the makes her way from the Mediterranean to the South appalling conflict in Israel and Gaza, and that we are all China Sea, what his plans are for the future of her white glad that there is now a ceasefire and a de-escalation. As ensign? for the position of the British Government, it is probably common ground among most Members that we want a The Prime Minister: It was fantastic to be on board two-state solution. The UK Government have campaigned the HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is a vessel longer than for that for many years and it continues to be our position. the Palace of Westminster, and forms a more eloquent statement, in many ways, than many of the speeches Mr Speaker: I am now suspending the House for and interventions that we have heard this afternoon, three minutes to enable the necessary arrangements to about Britain’s role in the world and our determination be made for the next business. to expand shipbuilding and expand our naval presence, which is good not only for the UK and for the world, 12.36 pm but good for jobs and growth around the country. Sitting suspended. 375 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 376

Environment Bill (b) any part of the territorial sea adjacent to Scotland for the general or residual purposes of the Scotland Act 1998 (see section 126 of that Act); [2ND ALLOCATED DAY] “environmental improvement plan”has the same meaning Further consideration of Bill, as amended in the Public as in Part 1. Bill Committee (12) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative procedure.” New Clause 21 This new clause confers powers to amend the Habitats Regulations to require public authorities to comply with requirements or HABITATS REGULATIONS: POWER TO AMEND GENERAL objectives, or have regard to matters, specified in regulations (for DUTIES example requirements, objectives or matters relating to biodiversity ‘(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend the targets under clause 1 or biodiversity aspects of the environmental Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/ improvement plan).—(Rebecca Pow.) 1012) (the “Habitats Regulations”), as they apply in relation to Brought up, and read the First time. England, for the purposes in subsection (2). (2) The purposes are—— 12.40 pm (a) to require persons within regulation 9(1) of the Habitats Regulations to exercise functions to which that regulation TheParliamentaryUnder-Secretaryof StateforEnvironment, applies— Food and Rural Affairs (Rebecca Pow): I beg to move, (i) to comply with requirements imposed by regulations That the clause be read a Second time. under this section, or (ii) to further objectives specified in regulations under Mr Speaker: With this it will be convenient to discuss this section, instead of exercising them to secure the following: compliance with the requirements of the Directives; (b) to require persons within regulation 9(3) of the Habitats Amendment (a), in subsection 2(a)(ii), leave out “instead Regulations, when exercising functions to which that of” and insert “in addition to”. regulation applies, to have regard to matters specified Amendment (b), in subsection 2(a)(b), leave out “instead by regulations under this section instead of the of” and insert “in addition to”. requirements of the Directives. Government new clause 22—Habitats Regulations: (3) The regulations may impose requirements, or specify objectives power to amend Part 6. or matters, relating to— (a) targets in respect of biodiversity set by regulations New clause 2—Assessment of Plans— under section1; ‘(1) The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (b) improvements to the natural environment which relate 2017/1012 are amended as follows. to biodiversity and are set out in an environmental (2) In Regulation 63 (Assessment of implications for European improvement plan. sites and European offshore marine sites) the following are (4) The regulations may impose any other requirements, or amended— specify any other objectives or matters, relating to the conservation (a) in paragraph (1) for “must” substitute “may”; or enhancement of biodiversity that the Secretary of State considers appropriate. (b) in paragraph (3) for “must” substitute “may”; (5) Regulations under this section may also, in connection with (c) in paragraph (4) for “must” substitute “may”; provision made for the purposes in subsection (2), amend other (d) omit paragraph (5) and insert “In the light of the provisions of the Habitats Regulations, as they apply in relation conclusions of the assessment, and subject to regulation to England, which refer to requirements, objectives or provisions 64, the competent authority may take the assessment of the Directives. into account in deciding whether it will agree to the (6) In making regulations under this section the Secretary of plan or project”; and State must have regard to the particular importance of furthering (e) in paragraph (6) for “must” substitute “may”.” the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. New clause 4—Protected species: Hedgehog— (7) The Secretary of State may make regulations under this section only if satisfied that the regulations do not reduce the ‘(1) The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is amended in level of environmental protection provided by the Habitats accordance with subsection (2). Regulations. (2) At the end of Schedule 5 (Animals which are protected) (8) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary insert— of State must lay before Parliament, and publish, a statement explaining why the Secretary of State is satisfied as mentioned in “hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus”” subsection (7). This new clause would add the hedgehog to the list of protected (9) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary animals under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. This would introduce of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State a legal imperative to search for hedgehogs in developments, and a considers appropriate. legal imperative to mitigate for them. (10) Regulations under this section may not come into force before 1 February 2023. New clause 16—Protection of bio-diversity as condition of planning permission— (11) In this section— “the Directives” has the same meaning as in the Habitats ‘(1) The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is amended as Regulations (see regulation 3(1)); set out in section (2). “England”includes the territorial sea adjacent to England, (2) After section 70(2), insert— which for this purpose does not include— “(2A) Any grants of planning permission for residential (a) any part of the territorial sea adjacent to Wales development in England must be subject to a for the general or residual purposes of the condition that such a development does not have a Government of Wales Act 2006 (see section detrimental effect on the local levels of nature 158 of that Act), or conservation and bio-diversity.”” 377 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 378

New clause 25—Duty to prepare a Tree Strategy for (d) any other landscape that is statutorily protected for England— environmental reasons.” ‘(1) The Government must prepare a Tree Strategy for England Amendment 45, in clause 95, page 96, line 18, after as set out in subsections (2), (3) and (4). “biodiversity objective” insert— (2) The strategy must set out the Government’s vision, “and contribute to the achievement of relevant targets and objectives, priorities and policies for trees in England including objectives under the Convention on Biological Diversity”. individual trees, woodland and forestry, and set out other matters Amendment 29, page 97, line 1, leave out subsection (5) with respect to the promotion of sustainable management of and insert— trees in these contexts. ‘(5) After subsection (2) insert— (3) The Tree Strategy for England must include the Government’s targets and interim targets with respect to— (2A) The authority must act in accordance with any relevant local nature recovery strategy in the exercise of relevant functions, (a) the percentage of England under tree cover; including— (b) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by (a) land use planning and planning decisions; tree planting; (b) spending decisions, including land management payments; (c) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by natural regeneration; (c) delivery of biodiversity gain; and (d) the percentage of native woodland in favourable (d) any other activities undertaken in complying with ecological condition; subsections (1) and (1A).”” (e) hectares of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites This amendment would require public authorities to exercise (PAWS) undergoing restoration; relevant functions in accordance with Local Nature Recovery (f) the condition of the England’sLong Established Woodlands; Strategies. This would ensure that decisions that affect the natural and environment such as planning decisions, net gain habitat (g) hectares of Long Established Woodlands undergoing enhancements and targeted investment in environmental land restoration. management are informed by the Strategies. (4) The Tree Strategy for England must set out— Amendment 46, in clause 102, page 101, line 36, at end insert— (a) locations of additional planting of 30,000 hectares of woodland in the UK each year, as set out in the ‘(2A) The objectives of a species conservation strategy must England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024; be— (b) a plan for the maintenance of the trees and woodlands (a) to identify the factors that adversely affect the conservation planted under the England Trees Action Plan 2021- status of relevant species of fauna or flora; 2024; and (b) to identify measures to improve the conservation status (c) which authorities or individuals are responsible for the of relevant species of fauna or flora; maintenance of the trees and woodlands planted (c) to inform the definition of favourable conservation under the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024. status of relevant species of fauna or flora; and (5) The Government must publish— (d) taking the information set out pursuant to paragraphs (a) an annual statement on progress against the Tree (a) to (c) into account, to contribute to relevant Strategy for England; and planning, land management and conservation policies (b) any revisions of the Tree Strategy which may be necessary. for those species of fauna or flora. (6) The Government must publish a revised Tree Strategy for (2B) All provisions in a species conservation strategy must be England within the period of 10 years beginning with the day on in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy. which the strategy or its most recent revision was published.” (2C) The Secretary of State must publish guidance relating to The aim of this new clause is to ensure that the Government the content, interpretation and implementation of species prepares a tree strategy for England. It will ensure that the conservation strategies. Government has to produce targets for the protection, restoration Amendment 47, page 102, line 27, at end insert— and expansion of trees and woodland in England. New clause 26—Enforcement action against breaches ‘(8A) The Secretary of State must give financial assistance under the Environmental Land Management scheme to applicants of planning control in statutorily protected landscapes who have contributed to the achievement of species conservation and areas of ancient woodland— strategies, provided that the following conditions are met— ‘(none) In the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, after (a) the applicant meets the eligibility criteria under the Section 171B(2), insert— Agriculture (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2021; “(2B) There is no restriction on when enforcement action may and be taken in relation to a breach of planning control in respect— (b) evidence is provided by the applicant in support of that (a) a Site of Special Scientific Interest; payment request under The Agriculture (Financial (b) an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Assistance) Regulations 2021. (c) any other landscape that is statutorily protected for This amendment would ensure that those receiving money from the environmental reasons; or Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) would be able (d) ancient woodland.” to claim financial assistance for their contributions towards New clause 27—Tree preservation orders on statutorily achieving species conservation strategies. protected landscapes— Amendment 48, in clause 103, page 104, line 27, at end insert— ‘(none) In the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, after Section 201, insert— ‘(8A) The Secretary of State must give financial assistance under the Environmental Land Management scheme to applicants “(201A) All trees shall automatically be subject to tree who have contributed to the achievement of species conservation preservation orders if they are in any of the following areas— strategies, provided that the following conditions are met— (a) a Site of Special Scientific Interest; (a) the applicant meets the eligibility criteria under the (b) an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Agriculture (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2021; (c) a National Park; or and 379 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 380

(b) evidence is provided by the applicant in support of that (b) is an undertaking which is a subsidiary of another payment request under The Agriculture (Financial undertaking which meets those conditions. Assistance) Regulations 2021. (6) In this paragraph— This amendment would ensure that those receiving money from the “group” has the meaning given by section 474 of the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) would be able Companies Act 2006; to claim financial assistance for their contributions towards “undertaking” has the meaning given by section 1161 achieving species conservation strategies. of that Act, Amendment 22, in schedule 14, page 216, line 37, “financial services” means— leave out “maintained for at least 30 years” and insert— (a) the provision of banking services including the “secured in its target condition and maintained in perpetuity”. acceptance of deposits in the course of business; This amendment requires habitat created under net gain to be (b) the provision of loans in the course of a banking, secured in perpetuity. credit or lending business, including by way of term loan, revolving credit facility, debentures Amendment 41, in schedule 15, page 224, line 41, at and bonds; and end insert— (c) regulated activities as defined under section 22 “Planning decisions, felling without a licence and failure to comply of the Financial Services and Markets Act with restocking orders 2000 and the Financial Services and Markets 6A (1) The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 is amended Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 as follows: (SI 2001/544), in each case as amended, or (2) In section 70(2) (Determination of applications: general (d) such other financial services as may be specified considerations), after “material considerations” insert— in regulations made by the Secretary of State. “commercial enterprise” means a person (other than an ‘(none) “including previous convictions held by the landowner individual) who carries on commercial activities in for unlawful tree felling, and failure to comply with restocking any jurisdiction relating to the production, trade, and enforcement orders.” transport or use of forest risk commodities.” This amendment seeks to include a provision for local planning This amendment requires that persons who carry out financial authorities to be able to take unlawful tree felling and a lack of services in the United Kingdom do not provide financial services to compliance with Restocking and Enforcement Orders by commercial enterprises engaged in the production, trade, transport landowners into account when considering planning applications. or use of forest risk commodities unless they are complying with Amendment 26, in schedule 16, page 225, line 35, at local relevant laws. end insert— Amendment 36, page 229, line 34, leave out “may” “, and free, prior and informed consent has been obtained and insert “must”. from affected indigenous peoples and local communities”. This amendment would make it a requirement, rather than just an This amendment would require that the prohibition on using a option, that the Secretary of State make regulations under Part 2 forest risk commodity must also be in accordance with having of schedule 16. obtained the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples and local communities, in addition to complying with relevant local Amendment 37, page 229, line 38, leave out “may” laws. and insert “must”. Amendment 27, page 229, line 30, at end insert— This amendment would make it a requirement, rather than just an “Regulated financial person option, that the Secretary of State makes regulations to appoint the relevant enforcement authorities. 7A (1) A regulated financial person must not provide financial services for commercial enterprises engaging in the production, Amendment 38, page 229, line 39, after “persons” trade, transport or use of a forest risk commodity unless relevant insert— local laws are complied with in relation to that commodity. “, independent of the Secretary of State,”. (2) A regulated financial person who provides financial This amendment is intended to require the Secretary of State to services for commercial enterprises engaging in the production, transfer the powers of enforcement (such as issuing fines) to an trade, transport or use of a forest risk commodity must establish independent enforcement authority, as they relate to the use of and implement a due diligence system in relation to the provision products derived from a forest risk commodity (a major source of of those financial services. forest deforestation). (3) A “due diligence system”, in relation to a regulated financial person, means a system for— Rebecca Pow: What a pleasure it is to be back to (a) identifying, and obtaining information about, the continue our consideration of this vital legislation, which operations of a commercial enterprise engaging in will set us on a sustainable trajectory for the future. I the production, trade, transport or use of a forest risk know that so many colleagues have been looking forward commodity to which it provides financial services, to today with great anticipation, as indeed have I. (b) assessing the risk that such a commercial enterprise is Although the journey of this Bill may have seemed a not complying with relevant local laws in relation to little lengthy, I assure the House that we have not been that commodity, resting on our laurels. During this time, there has been a (c) assessing the risk that a commercial enterprise is not huge amount of constructive, dedicated work, and I will complying with paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Schedule, and outline some of it: a draft environmental principles policy statement, which will guide the Government in (d) mitigating that risk. applying environmental principles, was published for (4) A regulated financial person must, for each reporting consultation on 10 March; and on 24 March we launched period, provide the relevant authority with a report on the actions taken by the regulated financial person to establish and consultations on the deposit return scheme and the implement a due diligence system as required by paragraph 3. extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging, and these are two key initiatives in the resource and (5) A “regulated financial person” means a person (other than an individual) who carries on financial services in the United waste measures of the Bill. Kingdom and— We are working at pace to ensure that the Office for (a) meets such conditions as may be specified in Environmental Protection will be operationally ready to regulations made by the Secretary of State; or stand up as soon as the Bill receives Royal Assent. 381 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 382

[Rebecca Pow] Rebecca Pow: I always give way to the hon. Gentleman.

We have also announced that new measures to reduce Jim Shannon: The Minister is always very kind, which the harm from storm overflows on our precious aquatic I appreciate very much. Amendment 41 would give environment will be added in the other place. enforcement powers to councils and local bodies with At this point, I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend responsibility for planning to ensure that no illegal tree the Member for Ludlow (Philip Dunne) for his dedicated felling is allowed. Do the Government intend to support work on this issue. It has been a tremendous joint effort. that amendment? I believe that the Minister and I both love trees and want to see plenty of them. Will that Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab): happen? Will the Minister also pay tribute to Surfers Against Sewage, which has done a marvellous job of lobbying RebeccaPow:If thehon.GentlemanstaysintheChamber, and achieving a great outcome? he will hear what I say about trees—

Rebecca Pow: I am pleased the hon. Lady made that Mr Speaker: He doesn’t want to leave. intervention, because of course I would like to pay tribute to Surfers Against Sewage, which has played a Rebecca Pow: Of course he doesn’t, Mr Speaker, and key role in all this for such a long time. Coming from the he won’t be able to now. I hope he will be pleased by south-west, as I do, I very much know about the good what he hears about what we are doing to protect trees. work done by Surfers Against Sewage. Finally in this toolbox of measures to improve nature, Today we are debating the nature parts of the Bill, we have conservation covenants to protect natural features which provide a framework of measures to support of the land for future generations. Just last week, we nature’s recovery in line with the ambition set out in our announced a raft of significant measures to further 25-year environment plan. deliver for the environment, and I am absolutely delighted to say that we have committed to an historic new, legally Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op): The binding target on species abundance for 2030, which Minister will know that England lags significantly behind aims to halt the decline of nature in England. We will the other countries of the UK on tree planting to help table an amendment on that in the other place and we tackle climate change. She will also be aware that there will set a final target in statute following the agreement is no ring-fenced component to the nature for climate of global targets at the UN conference on biodiversity fund for innovative, green-minded local authorities, such in Kunming, in China, in autumn 2021. as my own in Harrow, to put in bids so that we, too, can It is essential that we seize this opportunity to set our play our part in increasing tree coverage. ambitions high and take action to deliver them. I think it is clear in the Bill that we are doing that. That is why, Rebecca Pow: As the hon. Gentleman will know, or I in addition, I am pleased to propose two Government hope he knows, we launched our tree action plan just new clauses today—new clauses 21 and 22, which will last week. It sets out the raft of measures we will use to not only help us halt the decline in species but drive enable us to plant our commitments and target on tree recovery. New clause 21 provides for a power to refocus planting, which is 30,000 hectares by the end of this the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations Parliament. There are measures in the action plan, and 2017 to ensure that our legislation adequately supports we have allocated £500 million from the nature for our ambitions for nature, including our new,world-leading climate fund, so I would say there is a huge commitment 2030 target to halt the decline of species. New clause 22 to tree planting in this country. will allow us to amend part 6 of the 2017 regulations to improve the habitats regulatory assessment process. Where (Isle of Wight) (Con): Will my hon. Friend the evidence suggests that amending the regulations can give way? improve the natural environment, make processes clearer and provide more legal certainty, to help improve the Rebecca Pow: I am going to continue. condition of our sites, we will have the means to do so The Bill also contains a coherent package of new swiftly. duties, tools and support to drive improvement for nature: a 10% biodiversity net gain requirement on new Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con): Will my development; a strengthened duty on all public authorities hon. Friend give way? to conserve and enhance biodiversity—they will be able to do a lot of the tree planting mentioned by the hon. Rebecca Pow: I will give way to my right hon. Friend, Member for Harrow West (Gareth Thomas); local nature a former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and recovery strategies, which will form the building blocks Rural Affairs. for a much wider national nature recovery network; species conservation strategies and protected sites strategies Theresa Villiers: The Minister is very kind in giving to improve conservation outcomes for habitats and way. Will she assure the House that the Government’s species; targeted measures to protect existing trees and determination to restore peatlands will be an important plant new ones—back to trees again; and due diligence part of meeting their new 2030 commitment on species requirements to prohibit larger UK companies from conservation? including forest risk commodities in their supply chains. Rebecca Pow: I thank my right hon. Friend for giving Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Will the Minister me the opportunity to mention our peat action plan, give way? which was launched just last week. Restoring our peatlands 383 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 384 is a crucial part of improving nature. It is essential that and seek views on our conclusions in the Green Paper we get the 30,000 hectares that we have pledged to later this year, and I give him an absolute commitment restore restored. We have the funding and measures that this work will encompass the issues that he has behind it to enable us to do that. raised and that I know he will be speaking about today, The hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline and that the final outcomes will ensure that we provide Lucas), who I do not see in her place in the Chamber— the kind of support that is desperately needed to reverse the decline in hedgehog numbers. I thank him in advance Mr Speaker: She is online. for championing this cause, because the hedgehog needs a champion. Rebecca Pow: Okay—I will look up at the video Along with climate change, biodiversity loss is the screens. The hon. Lady will say that we need to lock in definingchallengeof ourgeneration.Ensuringourprotected the protections of the habitats and wild birds directive sites can be restored to good condition, functioning as they are now, but if we are to deliver on our ambitious properly as reservoirs for wildlife, and protecting our new target and reverse the downward trend of recent most vulnerable habitats and species is crucial to delivering decades, we need to change our approach, and we need on our environmental ambitions. to change it now. Now that we have the leading framework and targets Bob Seely: I congratulate the Minister on seeking to set out in the Bill, we need to take responsibility for improve that Bill, as that is excellent. Four amendments delivering the change needed to achieve our world-leading have been tabled—two by me, one from my right hon. environmental ambitions. We need to create space for Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Theresa Villiers) the creative public policy thinking that can help us to and one from my right hon. Friend the Member for deliver those results. To that end, we have designed the Basingstoke (Mrs Miller)—that address specifically tree new Government amendment with the specific aim of preservation orders,more protections and closing loopholes conserving and enhancing biodiversity. Under new for sites of special scientific interest. Will the Government clause 21(10), the power to amend regulation 9 can listen closely to those amendments? If they think they come into force only from 1 February 2023, once we are worthy of support, as I think they are, will they have set the biodiversity targets and conducted the first please incorporate them or ensure that they are incorporated review of the environmental improvement plan, as provided in the other place? for in part 1 of the Bill. We have also been explicit that powers can be used only if they do not reduce the Rebecca Pow: I thank my hon. Friend for that. I existing level of environmental protection. We will closely know that there are a lot of strong advocates for trees. consult conservation groups, the OEP and others. We have some very strong measures in the Bill, as I hope he will already know—we have worked very hard on The clause will also require us to explain to this our tree protections. We believe that they, in conjunction House how the use of the power would maintain the with our tree action plan, mean that we have very strong level of environmental protections provided by the Habitats measures for trees, but, obviously, we are always open and Species Regulations before any regulatory changes to hear what colleagues have to say, because we have to are made,and of course the House will have the opportunity look after and indeed increase our tree planting. to vote on any reforms. In addition, my colleague Lord Benyon will also chair a small working group, comprising As I was saying, our ambition goes much wider than myself, Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England, and just existing protected sites; we want to see a much more Christopher Katkowski, QC, which will gather information abundant nature-rich Britain, with further action to on how we might utilise the powers enabled through our bend the curve on species loss in this country. These Government amendments. We will have our first meeting powers to redesign our conservation regulations with before the summer recess. The group will consider the these ambitions in mind form part of our plan to technical detail and will gather evidence from experts restore and enhance nature in this country. It is a must and stakeholders. The Green Paper will then offer a do, and we will do it. I commend these amendments to further opportunity for stakeholders to feed back on the House. the initial proposals for reform. We will consult the new Mr Speaker: Before the shadow Secretary of State OEP on any proposals we develop before any regulatory rises to speak, let me remind Members that the time limit changes are made. on Back-Bench speeches is four minutes, as we have a On habitats protection, my right hon. Friend the lot of interest in this important Bill. Member for Epsom and Ewell (), whom I am so pleased to see in his place, is right to raise the Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Lab/ important issue of the protection of species such as the Co-op): Two years ago this month, it was Parliament hedgehog. We all love a hedgehog, don’t we? I have that declared a climate and an ecological emergency. We released lots of rescued hedgehogs into my garden. The were the first Parliament in the world to do so in what existing legislation focuses on deliberate harm against was a truly landmark moment in the fight against the species, which, on its own, does not properly address climate and ecological crisis. I was proud to work on the real challenges faced by species whose numbers are that declaration and proud that it was a Labour motion. declining, such as the hedgehog. It is a priority for us to We need more landmark moments such as that if we are provide the legislative protections and policy interventions to tackle the climate and ecological emergency in a needed for our wildlife, including for declining species meaningful way.We were promised that the Environment such as the hedgehog, and to deliver our 2030 target on Bill would be a landmark Bill. biodiversity. He will therefore be pleased to learn that I “Landmark” is what the Government kept saying, have instructed my Department, as part of our Green seemingly until England’s rolling hills were littered with Paper, to begin a review of this legislation, with a view press releases as far as the eye could see, but, sadly, it is to enhancing and modernising it. We intend to publish not a landmark Bill. 385 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 386

[Luke Pollard] Since 2008, the Plant! scheme has planted a tree for every child born or adopted in Wales and also in Uganda, Let us be clear about what the climate crisis means. If supporting forestation globally. The Welsh Government we do not take the bold action now that is required, the have also introduced a new moratorium on incineration, freak weather, the destruction of homes, job losses, which affects my constituency and that of the shadow food shortages, habitat loss and species extinction will Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Newport only get worse. Since Parliament declared that climate West (Ruth Jones), when it comes to that crucial issue of emergency, the Department for Food and Rural Affairs air quality has issued 508 press releases about the environment. The group plural for a set of press releases evades me. It Luke Pollard: I thank my hon. Friend for that. What could be a discombobulation, a tedium, or a wafer. the Welsh Labour Government have shown is that we None the less, the Government seem to have been more can be bold and decisive and that we can take people focused on the spin than the substance of the matter. with us on that journey. The “people first” approach in The press releases, ambitions, targets and soundbites Wales is something that could be replicated in an English are no substitute for the bold action that we need on the approach, but sadly, England has fallen further and climate. further behind other nations in the United Kingdom. That is why I want the Minister to do more to preserve Catherine West: What does my hon. Friend make of our precious habitats and biodiversity.If a car is speeding the World Wildlife Fund’s statement that the Bill does off a cliff, it is not enough simply to slow it down; we not go far enough to protect the world’s forests and have to bring it to a stop and turn things around, and oceans? Specifically, I know that there is interest across that is why Labour has tabled several amendments to the House in what is happening in neighbourhoods and try to inject some of the boldness that we need into the suburbs. In my own constituency of Muswell Hill, Bill. Let me turn to those amendments now. Highgate and Stroud Green, there is a lot of concern about trees coming down unnecessarily. How can we make that 1 pm vision a reality? The public want to see us plant more trees, but the thing about planting more trees is that more trees are Luke Pollard: Both my hon. Friend and the WWF are not enough. We need to be bolder and bolder in the right that we need to see bolder action on forests and numbers we plant and the species we plant to ensure the oceans. It is a shocking indictment of this Bill that that we have a good mix of fruit trees, deciduous trees there is barely a mention of the oceans, which is a really and other varieties of trees creating a rich biodiversity important part of our environment. of habitats for our wonderful wildlife. The Committee Ministers must act in a quicker and more decisive on Climate Change, the independent body set up to way on the environment than we have seen to date. I advise the Government, has been clear that we need to hoped that the delay in the Bill would have given raise our current 13% forest cover to 17% by 2050 if we Ministers that time to be bolder, but I am afraid that are to have any chance of meeting our climate goals. they have not used their time as wisely as I would have That may need to increase further if the Government liked. I welcome the steps forward that the Minister has continue to miss other targets along the way. But the announced, but they are not enough. The pace and Government are missing their tree planting targets by urgency seem to be absent. Our rivers are polluted. 40 years. If we continue at the current paltry rate of tree There is not a single river in England safe to swim in. planting, the Government’s own 2050 targets will not be More species face extinction at home and abroad; more met until 2091. I will be 111 years old in 2091. I would bees are dying from bee-killing pesticides, the use of like to live that long, but I simply do not think the which is legitimised by this Government; more plastics planet can wait for us to hit that low level of ambition are entering our oceans; and dangerous particulates are that the Government have on this. More tree planting entering the lungs of some of our most vulnerable. plans, more targets, more press releases and more paper Where is the vision? Where is the landmark boldness printed out with those press releases will not plant the that we were promised? Where is the rock-the-boat trees we need. I want the Minister to be bolder on this, carbon cutting innovation? Where is the determination and that is why we have tabled new clause 25, which to push harder and harder to clean our air, protect our would see the Government at least hit the Committee species, plant more trees and get us back on a course for on Climate Change’s target, but I want them to go nature recovery? Where is the World Health Organisation’s further. air quality targets in the Bill? Where is the boldness on Our Amendment 22 is another attempt to give the ocean protection? We need that bold action not only to Bill some ambition on net gain. The Government have cut carbon, but to step up and protect our natural laid out some plans to regain and restore some habitats, environment as well. If we have this approach that we and that is welcome, but they have stopped short of can either solve a carbon crisis or an ecological crisis, safeguarding this for the long term. Amendment 22 we will solve neither. We need to solve both of them would require habitats secured under biodiversity gain together, or neither of them at all. to be maintained in perpetuity, rather than just for the 30 years envisaged by the Bill. That figure of 30 years Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South and Penarth) (Lab/ matters. Can the Minister explain what will happen Co-op): I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and I after the 30th year? What will happen in the 31st year? support the amendments, which are also in my name. Will those protections fall away? Why was 30 years Many constituents have written to me about these issues. chosen and not a greater number? Habitats for wildlife Does he agree that there is a stark contrast here with the can take decades or even longer to be become established, approach shown by the Welsh Labour Government? but they take minutes to be destroyed by a bulldozer. Let us take their tree-planting programme as an example. Protections matter. 387 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 388

Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): Does my hon. seeks to correct that by putting nature-recovery objectives, Friend share my concern that the Government’s proposals underpinned by evidence, into the heart of the strategies on planning reform will actually make the proposals in and ensuring that each one abides by the mitigation the Environment Bill on net gain and protecting habitats hierarchy, starting with trying to conserve existing habitat far more difficult, in that they are a developers’ charter and then moving to habitat compensation only when all and the wishes of local people are likely to be overridden? other avenues have been exhausted. That will ensure that each strategy serves to recover a species, rather Luke Pollard: My hon. Friend is exactly right. That is than greenlighting the destruction of existing habitats why Labour is arguing for a comprehensive, joined-up that are important to that species, in return for inadequate approach from Ministers, in which DEFRA’s policies compensation elsewhere. Our amendment is common align with those of the Ministry of Housing, Communities sense, it would strengthen the provisions in the name of and Local Government and with Treasury funding. the Secretary of State and, if passed, will show that this They do not do so at the moment; we have a developers’ House cares about getting the most out of the Bill. I charter that does not match the protections that the hope the Minister will give additional attention to those Minister is talking about. I believe the Minister when provisions when the Bill enters the other place. she says she is passionate about this, but I just do On the other amendments that have been tabled on not see that read-across in Government policy. The the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations peripheralisation of DEFRA in the Government debate and Government new clauses 21 and 22, I look forward is not helping to protect our habitats when other Ministers to hearing from the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion are able to get away with habitat-destroying policies and (Caroline Lucas)—she and I share an awful lot in seemingly all we have is a Minister patting himself on common on this matter—because on the face of it we the back for this Bill. That is not enough, and I am glad are minded to agree that we cannot rely on the Government my hon. Friend raised that example. not to dilute the environmental protections currently in the nature directives. I heard what the Minister had to I am worried that the Government’s approach to say and think her heart is in the right place, but I want species conservation is seemingly ad hoc and represents to see things put in law. She may not be a Minister an unambitious approach that seems to have overtaken forever and we need to make sure that whoever follows DEFRA. Labour’s amendment 46 demands a strategic her will have the same zeal and encouragement. I am afraid approach to species conservation through protecting, that unless it is on the face of the Bill, there is a risk that restoring and creating habitats over a wider area to that might not happen. meet the needs of the individual species that are being protected. It acknowledges the vital role that species We support amendments 26 and 27, tabled by the conservation can play in restoring biodiversity and enabling Select Committee Chair, the hon. Member for Tiverton nature’srecovery.Indeed, it builds on Labour’samendment and Honiton (Neil Parish), on deforestation, the extension to the Bill tabled by my right hon. Friend the Member of due diligence requirements to the finance sector and for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) at the last stage that the strengthening of protection for local communities would see a nature recovery by 2030. I welcome the and indigenous peoples. That is a good example of a steps forward on that but I would like to see more Select Committee Chair proposing something meaningful detail, because at the moment it seems like a good press and important that might not always get the headlines. release, but without enough action to ensure that the He is playing an important role and we encourage delivery is ensured. power to his elbow. In conclusion, the Bill has been stuck for too long. I Mr Speaker, you will know that I am a big fan of had hoped that the delay in bringing the Bill forward bees. I should declare an interest because my family caused by the Government would have altered the keep bees on their farm in Cornwall. Since 1900, the Government’s pedestrian approach and resulted in bolder UK has lost 13 of its 35 native species of bee. Bees are action, with more amendments to the Bill to take on the essential to our future on the planet, to pollinating concerns of non-governmental organisations, stakeholders crops and to the rich tapestry of biodiversity that and, indeed, the constituents we all represent. But on depends on them. Bee health is non-negotiable; we must air quality, it fails to put WHO targets into law. It fails do all we can to protect our precious pollinators. On the to require enough trees or seagrass to be planted. It fails first day on Report, the Conservatives voted down to look at our marine environment in a meaningful way. Labour’s amendment that would have restored the ban On targets, it is weak, and the difficult decisions required on bee-killing pesticides; on day 2 on Report—today—will to hit net zero seem to be parked for future dates. It is the Government back or defeat Labour’s amendment 46 absent on ocean protection, which is surely a key part of on species conservation? This really matters because our environment as an island nation. bees really matter, and I think the concern is shared Labour’s amendments would strengthen the Bill. In across party lines. The steps that the Minister has taken all sincerity, I encourage the Minister to look closely at to support sugar beet farmers, especially in the east of them, because they are good amendments. But that is England, is welcome. I want to support sugar beet precisely why I fear that the Government will Whip farmers as well—I want to support British agriculture, their MPs to vote against them. I do not think that which is especially needed given the risk of an Australian Ministers want a strong, landmark Bill; I think they trade deal—but lifting the ban on bee-killing pesticides want a weak Bill that allows them the freedom to park is not the answer. It will not help us in the long term. difficult decisions, delay urgent action and act in their Like many campaigners and stakeholders, we on the own best interests rather than the planet’s. This Bill is Opposition Benches are concerned that the overt focus enough to look busy—to do something—but not enough on development in the explanatory narrative on clause to make meaningful change. It is in that grey area that a 108 supplied by the Government suggests that it could real danger lies: enough to convince the public that fall into a worrying category. Labour’s amendment 46 something is being done without fundamentally changing 389 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 390

[Luke Pollard] will be listening carefully to her own Back Benchers, because, whether she agrees with the words of the the outcomes at the end of it—to lull people into a false Opposition or not, we need a bolder Environment Bill. sense of security that change is happening and does not We need it to be better joined up across Government require the difficult decisions that we all in our hearts because we are not there yet. know are coming. DEFRA was at the heart of Government when the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath () (Winchester) (Con): I am listening carefully was in charge, but it has lost its way. It has lost its va va to the hon. Gentleman, as always. I do not think it is voom. It is now dominated by a bland and dreary fair to say that it is a weak Bill. May I probe the managerialism. Where is the energy and drive needed to Opposition, as we are on Report, on the whole issue of tackle the climate crisis? The Department has a lot of biodiversity as a condition of planning permission? decent junior Ministers—one of them is opposite me There are amendments on the amendment paper in that now—but I think it has lost its way. This Bill is okay. It respect today; where do the Opposition stand on planning is passable. It is a bit “meh”. But it is not landmark. permission and biodiversity as a precondition thereof? Indeed, it is deliberately not a landmark Bill. Luke Pollard: I am grateful to the hon. Member for I say to the Minister: look carefully at Labour’s that intervention; I know he always listens carefully to amendments and please let us work together to get this my speeches on this subject, and his question is a good Bill back on track. I agree with her on the need for bold one. We are facing a bit of a planning crisis. I am action; I just do not think that this Bill delivers it. If we concerned that the developers’ charter that has been set are properly to address the climate and ecological crisis, out by the Government regarding planning on one side we need more, bolder and decisive action than I am afraid of Government practice does not fit neatly with what is this Bill includes. being proposed in this Bill, on this side of Government practice. Mr Speaker: I remind Members that the speaking limit in effect for Back Benchers is four minutes. The If we are to have the expansion in a free-for-all for countdown clock will be visible on the screen of hon. development that is being proposed by one Government Members participating virtually and on the screens in Department, it is hard to see how that fits with the the Chamber. For hon. Members participating physically biodiversity protections on another side of Government. in the Chamber, the usual clock in the Chamber will I would like them to gel together,because I want developers now operate. I call the Chair of the Select Committee, to provide the more affordable homes, the zero-carbon Neil Parish. homes and the low-carbon homes that we need in all our constituencies. To do that, we need to send a clear Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con): Thank message to them about how biodiversity is to be built you very much, Mr Speaker. It is a pleasure to speak in into the planning system. Where, for instance, is the this debate. requirement for swift bricks to be built into new I welcome the return of the Environment Bill and developments—building nature into them? Where is the commend Ministers on bringing it back so quickly after requirements to have hedgehog holes in some of the the Queen’s Speech. Let me start by welcoming the fences, as we have seen from some developers? recent publication of England trees action plan, which There are an awful lot of good interventions on sets out ambitious targets for tree planting. I was pleased biodiversity and planning that create not unnecessary to see that it also includes plans to deliver what I have red tape or cost, but an environment where we can build previously described as smart tree planting. What I nature into our new planning system. At the moment, I mean by smart tree planting is not simply planting large am concerned that those two things do not match numbers of trees, but planting the right trees in the right together, which is why we want to see biodiversity much areas so that they can help to mitigate soil erosion and more integrated into the planning system. If I am form natural flood defences. I welcome the fact that honest, I think Government Members also want that to new woodlands are to be planted that will enhance happen, which is why the planning reforms proposed in biodiversity and have recreational benefits, but I emphasise the Queen’s Speech do not fit with this Bill and why that trees are also a living crop; we want to see them there is such concern. grow and mature, and we will use them for building our houses and will capture the carbon. I therefore want to Bob Seely: These are good individual ideas, but the see the right varieties planted to form the timber of our problem is actually a much wider one. If we do not have future buildings. a recycling culture in housing and planning, we are just going to use lots of greenfield sites. Doing so would While we are rightly going to great lengths to deliver damage not only our environment, but our communities; sustainable forestry policy in England, we must not we would be doing social damage by leaving brownfield miss the opportunity to send equally ambitious targets sites undeveloped. We need to start taxing greenfield to protect forests overseas, many of which are very sadly sites and doing radical stuff, so that we get joined-up facing an unprecedented threat. In 2020 alone, some Government and use that money massively to clear the 11,000 sq km of the Amazon were lost to deforestation—the way for developing brownfield sites. That is what we most in 12 years. That is an area nearly twice the size of need to be doing—not just putting in nice little bee bricks, Devon lost in one year. Large-scale commercial agriculture as important as they are. accounts for a large proportion of that. We cannot allow this to go on. Luke Pollard: I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. I am a big fan of bee bricks as well as swift Steve Brine: I am very happy to put my name to bricks. I fear that his intervention was aimed more at amendments 26 and 27, in particular amendment 27, on the Government than at me. I hope that the Minister financial services. Many of our constituents will invest 391 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 392 with and use UK financial institutions, banks and pension Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP) funds, and they will have very little sight of the investments [V]: Mr Speaker, you might recall that there used to be a that they make around the world that could assist TV game show called “Bullseye”, in which the legendary deforestation of the Amazon. Is not the key point that Jim Bowen consoled failed contestants with that cruellest we cannot just rely on transparency—that it is a duty of of catchphrases, “Let’s have a look at what you could the House to act, and this legislation is a golden opportunity have won.” As we come to the end of the long process of to do that? this Environment Bill, a lot of folk might be thinking that it was Jim Bowen presenting it. 1.15 pm I will be as generous as I can and say that there were Neil Parish: My hon. Friend is absolutely right, especially good intentions behind the Bill, or at least the stated in terms of pension funds. People do not always know intentions were good back when it appeared many, many which companies their pension funds are investing in moons ago. There was admirable ambition to enshrine and what those companies are investing in—are they environmental protections in law, to set proper targets investing in Malaysia or in large cattle ranches in Brazil, and to establish the Office for Environmental Protection— wheredeforestationmaybetakingplace?Weneedtotighten high aims, except those rules would not apply to one of up on this, and I very much welcome his intervention. the most polluting and environmentally damaging parts Not only are rainforests a carbon sink, but they hold of the state, the military. They also would not apply to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. They help to anything that might be classed as national security or maintain our delicate global ecosystem, so I am pleased taxation or spending. Those are pretty big areas of that, as part of the Bill, companies that cause illegal government: if taxation and the allocation of resources deforestation will be held accountable. The requirement are exempted, a massive part of governance will walk for large companies to undertake due diligence on their happily by without casting a glance in the direction of supply chains is an important step, but the Bill should the environmental protection regulations. go further in tackling the practice. Then of course in the Bill’s Committee stage the As Members will know, I have tabled two amendments Government introduced amendments and new clauses to the Bill to ensure that the measures have the teeth to that limited the power of the Office for Environmental tackle the problem. First, amendment 26 proposes that Protection to take enforcement action, creating thresholds we put into law protections for the rights of indigenous for reviews, moving the review from tribunal to court, people, requiring that limiting the OEP’s power to intervene in judicial reviews brought by others, and imposing even greater limitations “free, prior and informed consent has been obtained from affected indigenous peoples and local communities” on its own power to initiate judicial reviews. To top that off, Ministers took the power to be able to direct the before big companies go in and develop land. That is OEP on what it should be enforcing. It has gone from a important because, while the Government’snew provisions powerful and independent body to a mere arm of the reference the need for companies to ensure that local laws Government before it is even born—a bit sad, really. arerespected,theydonotconsiderthattherightsof indigenous communities are not always respected in law. There are still things to be welcomed, however, the I have visited Brazil; I have seen the trucks going setting of a species recovery target being one. It should through the forest and the people in the back of them be a declaration of intent—a commitment to reversing with sub-machine-guns. I can assure the Government some of the harm that has been done—but it needs that it is not easy for indigenous people to have rights in clarifying and it needs political will behind it to get to places where there is no real rule of law in parts. Indeed, any kind of a delivery phase. It also needs cash—plenty 80% of indigenous lands do not yet have secure legal up front to get it started, as well as an ongoing commitment rights. In those places, local people are rightly defending to keep funding the work. their own land from aggressive development, but at great We have seen what has happened to Natural England: risk. In February 2019, I had the honour of meeting the how the funding cuts stripped that body of its ability to chief of the indigenous population in the Amazon. He do its job; how its feet got cut away from under it; how a told me of the daily struggles that he and his people decade of austerity has rendered it unable to function experience in protecting their homes from illegal land properly. Budget cuts have led to pay cuts, cuts in grants, clearance. Research shows that more people than ever cuts in staff numbers and cuts in assessed programmes. were killed in 2019 for defending their land. Over 200 were That is a terrible way to treat staff—a horrendous betrayal killed—an average of around four people a week. Not of their loyalty and hard work—and I hope Ministers, only are indigenous people being killed, but many are and those hoping one day to replace them, think on seeing the land on which their livelihoods depend being that. Natural England’s Government funding was cut destroyed. Amendment 26 would not only save lives but by two thirds between 2010 and last year. Staff numbers would save livelihoods—something that I know the have gone down by a quarter since 2010 and those who Government care greatly about. I ask them to look carefully remain have seen real-terms pay cuts. The ability of the at this issue. agencytodoitsworkiscompromised,if notfatallydamaged. The second measure that I would like the Government Its recovery,if it can recover,would depend on substantial to implement to tighten up the Bill is amendment 27. I investment in cash and in political capital, but, given firmly believe that we must ensure that the legislation how the Office for Environmental Protection has been includes the financial sector, which is in many cases gutted even before it has been created, I cannot see bank-rolling deforestation in places such as Brazil and much hope for Natural England. Perhaps the Minister Malaysia. If we do not include the financial sector in can tell us in her closing remarks how that will pan out. these measures, we are missing out one of the most This is almost entirely England’s problem of course, integral parts of the supply chain and leaving a large because it is England’s Government failing on the loophole in the law. environment and this Bill is largely an English Bill, but 393 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 394

[Deidre Brock] As a result, Natural England must make assessments of the potential damage to EU-protected sites before granting what is done in England affects Scotland in many ways, licences for the release of game species. The proposed including funding, because we are stuck in this constricting assessments are intended to take years to achieve, thus Union, for the moment at least. I would be happy to see halting the granting of licences. The new clause would England sort it out for Scotland’s sake, but even more shift the requirement for Natural England from mandatory so for the sake of the environment. assessments to doing them on a common-sense,case-by-case We will, however, of course all be in agreement with basis. amendment 26; who in Parliament would ever think it Campaign groups such as Wild Justice would like to appropriate to go taking the resources of other peoples end all country sports. Often fuelled by emotive and and lands without the consent of those peoples? Such ill-informed rhetoric, such campaigns do not recognise pillaging of communities should be beyond the pale. the importance to the environment of country sports and their contribution to not only the rural economy The UK Government could just for once look to but the conservation of land. The gross value added of Scotland and the initiatives a Government who are shooting stands at £1.7 billion in England and £2 billion ambitious for their citizens and mindful of their duty to in the United Kingdom—£240 million in the west midlands protect and improve our environment can legislate for, alone. Shooting adds 350,000 direct paid jobs to the such as our commitments to active travel and the restoration market and accounts for 10% of the total amount spent of our peatlands, our deposit return scheme soon to on outdoor recreation each year. be implemented, further planting of new woodlands, Everyyear,3.9millionworkdaysarespentonconservation implementation of the WHO recommendations on PM2.5 on air pollution, creation of the largest green space —the equivalent of 16,000 full-time conservation jobs. project in Europe, the central Scotland green network, Up to 700,000 hectares of farm land are planted with and much, much more, with green recovery placed at wild bird seed mixes and pollinator strips as a result of the heart of successive policy publications: actions rather game bird management. That is five times greater than than just words. the land owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Even in this year when COP26 is to be hosted in Game shooting estates often have 65% more hedgerows Glasgow, the commitment of the UK Government to than normal farm land. Most statistics show that the sorting out some of the mess is minimal if it exists at all. sport is not the preserve of the elite: figures from France managed to create the Paris agreement when it 31 March show that 159,483 firearms certificates and headed the conference of the parties; the UK is busy 567,358 shotgun certificates were on issue in England greenwashing what it can and dismantling the rest. Biden and Wales. That means that at least 1.6 million people is doing the work the UK Government should be doing: are shooting in the UK. dragging commitments out of other Governments. The UK Government like to pretend that the UK is a world Pheasants have been in the UK continually for the leader, but it cannot even lead a conference. last 2,000 years.Their release, management and subsequent hunting predates all site protections. Indeed, game bird There are elements missing from the Bill that will release and management have largely been responsible have to be addressed in the near future, including the for the existence of sites of high nature value that are lack of clear and binding plans to reduce waste. The worth protecting. Some 28% of woodlands in England World Health Organisation guidelines on particulate are managed to some extent for game birds—more than levels reduction are missing, and there is nothing on are managed for nature conservation. We therefore need plastic pollution—many public bodies are exempt from to do considerably more to ensure that, if the new the law. I have already mentioned the military and clause does not suit the Minister exactly, such provisions anything that can be covered by the nebulous national are taken on board. security definition, but there are plenty of other examples. Natural England has two tools to monitor sites: the To spare the blood pressure of the ardent Brexiteers, I improvement programme for England’s Natura 2000 promise I will not mention the rolling back on existing sites—IPENS—and a designated sites view, or DSV. EU protections, but it is there. As the EU continues to The latter identified game bird release as causing an press ahead, keeping to environmental protections that impact across seven sites of special scientific interest—the the UK’s Environment Secretary described as “spirit- equivalent of 134 hectares. For context, England’s SSSI crushing”, the UK will fall behind. network covers 4,100 sites and that is more than 1 Protecting the environment and making some progress million hectares.The worst impacts on nature,unfortunately, on addressing the climate emergency takes effort, fortitude are caused by dogs and walkers, and nobody wants to and a bit of guts to tackle the unpopular things that see them campaigned against, so I hope that DEFRA need to be done. I do not see any evidence of that kind will adopt the gist of this amendment to protect itself— of grit in Whitehall and that is a great shame. Jim Bowen never had the environment behind that screen, Mr Speaker: Order. I call Kerry McCarthy. but I cannot help reflecting on the fact that this should have been a big win, but is instead a sorry look at what 1.30 pm we have not won. Kerry McCarthy: I would like to begin by praising the work of Wild Justice, whose members are far from ill- Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con): I tabled informed, absolutely passionate about nature conservation new clause 2 to address the proposed general licensing and do some excellent work. I was waiting for the hon. requirements for the release of game birds and the Member for North Herefordshire (Bill Wiggin) to mention environmental benefits of shooting. A campaign group Labour’s amendment on peat burning. I know that is in named Wild Justice is repeatedly challenging DEFRA. the next group, but it was quite surprising that he— 395 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 396

Bill Wiggin: I ran out of time. the House to accept these amendments. If we fail to do that today, as I said, I am sure that the noble Lords in Kerry McCarthy: Yes, well, perhaps the hon. Gentleman the other place will take up these causes with their can come back for the next debate and make an intervention customary vigour. to show that he supports that amendment. [Interruption.] He can intervene on me, of course. Theo Clarke (Stafford) (Con): I am delighted to have Iwouldliketospeakprimarilyinfavourof amendments26 the opportunity to speak on this landmark Bill, which and 27, tabled by the hon. Member for Tiverton aims to ensure that the environment is at the heart of and Honiton (Neil Parish); I believe that birthday Government policy. I am pleased that it intends to better congratulations are in order today. Deforestation, which conserve our environment, tackle biodiversity loss and destroys vital carbon stores and natural habitats, is both regenerate parts of our great countryside. one of the central drivers of the climate emergency and a driver of the devastating decline in biodiversity. As we I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom have heard, it also plays a role in displacing people from and Ewell (Chris Grayling) for his tireless efforts on their land and leads to modern slavery and exploitative environmental issues, including his work on food labelling working practices. It is clear that we need a no-tolerance and environmental sustainability. I was very proud, in approach to any deforestation in our supply chains, legal the previous Parliament, to co-sponsor his Bill on that or illegal. matter, much of the contents of which are set to come back to this House later today. This, along with new The Bill comes before us in a slightly better state than clause 4, demonstrates that so much more can be done its many previous incarnations due to the Government’s to strengthen our commitments to the environment by new proposals on due diligence in deforestation, but protecting vulnerable species. I welcome the Minister’s unfortunately they fall far short of what is needed. The statements today and her commitment to review ways primary issue is that they act only to eliminate illegal that we can reverse the decline in hedgehog numbers. deforestation. That ignores the fact that some nations, most notably Bolsonaro’s Brazil, are chipping away at I think we can also help the population to make legal protections on deforestation and enforcement informed choices. Recently, I visited Rodbaston College mechanisms to identify and prevent it. For instance, the in my Stafford constituency. I was delighted to tour the Brazilian Parliament is set to approve new legislation animal zone, where a number of my young constituents dubbed “the destruction package” that will accelerate are learning to work with a variety of animals, learning deforestation in the Amazon by providing an amnesty how to protect our native species such as the otter and to land grabbers and allowing deforestation on indigenous learning to train for careers in conservation. New clause 4, lands for major construction projects. Preliminary WWF which aims to insert hedgehogs into the Bill as a protected research shows that 2 million hectares of forest and species, is an important reminder of how interconnected natural ecosystems could be legally deforested in the nature is, and the important need to retain and to protect Brazilian territories that supply soya to the UK. species such as the hedgehog. This Bill is a unique opportunity to send a message to It may surprise some people to know that a key factor those states that fail to act to protect our planet. That is in the reduction of the number of hedgehogs is in fact why I urge the Government to think again and to keeping gardens too tidy and the lack of wildlife corridors strengthen their proposals to include legal deforestation in fenced-in gardens. Last week, I was pleased to re-form to show true climate leadership ahead of COP26. I am the all-party parliamentary group for fruit, vegetables sure that, if we do not accept these amendments today, and horticulture, which I co-chair,and I led a conversation the noble peers in the other place will have strong words with Alan Titchmarsh, in which we discussed how gardeners to say about that, and I hope they will send the Bill back can work with nature to improve habitats for other to us suitably amended. wildlife, including hedgehogs. New clause 21 aims to Amendment 27 would prevent financial services from protect habitats better. I think we can all do our bit by working with firms linked to illegal forest-risk commodities. providing wildlife corridors and creating hedgehog homes, We cannot claim to be tough on deforestation if we as I have in my own garden. No Mow May is an initiative allow British financial institutions to support firms linked that is very popular with my constituents: people do to it. These damaging investments are deeply embedded absolutely nothing to their lawn in May, which can in our economy and sometimes even in our own personal significantly improve the ecosystem of their garden. The finances. Shocking analysis from Feedback published wonderful thing about nature is that it wants to recover. today shows that even the parliamentary pension fund We just need to give it the opportunity to do so. has investments in companies such as JBS Investments I believe that the measures in this Bill lay the groundwork that have been repeatedly linked to deforestation. It is to significantly improve our environment. The Bill, not good that we are being drawn into complicity in this particularly new clause 21, clearly demonstrates our situation through our parliamentary pension fund. I Government’s commitment to protecting the unique thereforehopetheGovernmentwillaccepttheseamendments and diverse habitats that we have in Britain. I was and begin to show global leadership. pleased recently to visit the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s I very much support the amendments tabled by my Wolseley Centre to see at first hand its project to replicate hon. Friends on the Labour Front Bench, including a wide variety of habitats in Staffordshire, including new clause 25 calling on the Government to prepare a woodlands,ponds,andwetandhaymeadows.Thesehabitats tree strategy for England. We are trying to do this in are providing homes for a range of flora and fauna. The Bristol in terms of doubling the tree canopy and with measures in the Bill ensure that we can protect these for our One City ecological emergency strategy, which I generations to come. encourage other cities and towns to emulate. I also One of the reasons these steps are so effective and support amendment 22, which would embed the net increase biodiversity is that we are helping other species gain of habitats in perpetuity. I urge colleagues across in the ecosystem to thrive, which in turn leads to a 397 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 398

[Theo Clarke] residents in our local communities are telling us that. I am sure I am not the only person here present today richer and more resilient environment. That is why I who has a groaning postbag, with many different concerns believe it is so vital that we reverse the biodiversity loss raised by local people. There are far too many to mention we have already suffered in the UK, and that is why I in full, but I want to just cover a couple of them. welcome the focus in the Bill. I welcome the Bill along A good example is the scale of concern about sewage with the new clause I have discussed due to their aim to flowing into rivers. Reading sits on the River Thames conserve our environment and increase biodiversity. We and the River Kennet. We have a large population, with need to protect and improve our precious environment people who want to wild swim in the Thames and other for generations to come. water users. Many people enjoy boating and fishing. We need to deal with this problem urgently and it relates to Matt Rodda (Reading East) (Lab): It is a pleasure to the other issues we have talked about today. be able to speak in this important debate today. I would like to cut to the chase, because time is short. I think it is In my area, we are also very concerned about the worth reiterating the point made by my hon. Friend the planning liberalisation proposed by the Government, Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke which is completely mistaken. As many Conservative Pollard): we do face a climate emergency and an ecological Members who represent similar seats in southern England emergency. Put simply, these are existential threats to will know,it could dramatically change the local landscape, humanity on this planet. We must, as he rightly said, lead to a huge amount of infilling between existing not only slow down the car that is speeding towards towns and cities, degrade the quality of life in existing the cliff, but stop it, turn it around and drive the other suburbs by putting large blocks of flats between rows way. of existing houses, and lead to building on the green lungs of towns and cities. So I urge the Government— The question we need to discuss today is whether this I realise this does not relate directly to this Bill—to Bill is enough to stop that car. In my opinion, it simply address this matter, completely scrap and reconsider is not. It does make some small steps forward—I grant their approach to planning, and revert to the traditional the Government that, and I am very keen to work with tried and tested approach which has stood us in good colleagues across the House on this matter—but I think stead since world war two. we have to be honest with ourselves: it does not take the significant series of steps that we all support, I would Very briefly—I realise I am in danger of running over hope, and that we as a country and the wider world time, Madam Deputy Speaker—I will indicate my support urgently need. for new clause 25, on trees; amendment 46, on the rainforest, from the Chair of the Select Committee, the I will highlight three key issues before mentioning a hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton, which I whole- few local points. On tree planting, I am not sure the heartedly support; amendment 22, on habitat protection; Government fully understand the difficulty of rolling new clause 12, on banning fracking—a very important out a major programme of tree planting, given the wide measure and there are local concerns about that in our range of landowners they need to work with, the importance area—and new clause 24, on banning heather burning. of supporting local authorities and the practical difficulties, such as the number of man and woman hours that it takes to plant a large number of trees. The Chairman of Sir (North East Hertfordshire) (Con): I the Select Committee, the hon. Member for Tiverton will speak to amendment 45. Clause 95 is an important and Honiton (Neil Parish), rightly spoke about the step forward because it changes the duty on public importance of biodiversity and supporting trees—which authorities: the duty is not just to conserve biodiversity, are not only good in themselves in capturing carbon, but to enhance it. That is a big change and one of the but have a beneficial effect on the landscape, for example, big measures in the Bill. Amendment 45 would add to stopping erosion—and about promoting native trees that by requiring public authorities to consider what rather than those that do not support such a wide range action they can take to contribute to the achievement of of animals and plants. The interesting comparison here targets under the UN convention on biological diversity. is a sycamore versus an oak tree. An oak tree might This is a big year with COP26 coming up, but we also support 1,000 plants and animals, but a sycamore, which have, at Kunming in October—about the time the Bill is not native, does not support anything like that—it may well become law—the renewal of the convention supports only a few species. and the plan for the next 10 years. I invite the Minister to consider how we can leverage the nature target, for There are also important weaknesses in terms of air example, which has just been announced, to make such quality. This is a major issue in my Reading East commitments international so that we are changing not constituency, where a huge amount of traffic flows just Britain, but the world. through the town, a legacy problem with the way roads are laid out in our area, and many families have severe The last CBD that set out a 10-year plan was in 2010; concerns about the health of children, older people and the Aichi targets. It is true that in our country we have the population as a whole. done a lot of the things that were proposed, but internationally only one target out of 20 has been On the oceans—my hon. Friend the Member for achieved: number 11, on protecting 17% of land and Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport also mentioned this water. There is an opportunity, later this year, to go issue—we face a huge challenge around the world, with much further. The Government have already made the growth of plastics in the oceans. There are many commitments on the sort of measures we should be other problems as well. trying to negotiate, such as protecting 30%, not 17%, of I would like to work on a cross-party basis with land and seas, and protecting species. I think there is an colleagues, but we need to understand the urgency of opportunity to put this in the Bill, although I am just the matters that should be addressed by the Bill. Our probing the Minister on that. Really, I want to know 399 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 400 what the Government’s plans are to take the initiatives of that status gave as much credit to the farmers as it in this landmark Bill and make them international. I did to the glaciers. These are managed, crafted landscapes, know the Minister probably has a lot to say when she and we should reward the farmers who provide them. winds up the debate, but it would be welcome if she There are many bad things about our not being in the touched on the global aspects. EU, but one good thing is that we do not need to borrow EU measures. We do not need to borrow the plan for 1.45 pm funding ELMS through the mechanism of income forgone. Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): I am We should be rewarding farmers for the value of what grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate, they do, not paying the pittance they were paid in the Madam Deputy Speaker. I will restrict my remarks to first place. amendments 47 and 49, which stand in my name, and In the time left, I will speak to amendment 29. Local amendment 29, which stands in the name of my hon. nature resource strategies are a good idea. They are Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney). welcome, but they are weak, and they will not be worth The amendments have in common the aim of protecting the paper they are written on if they are not material to the landscape and the environment both in very rural the considerations and decisions made by local planning areas like mine and in urban and suburban parts of the committees. If we are to protect our green belt, whether UK that are threatened by the Government’s planning it be in such places as the constituency of the hon. reforms. Member for Reading East (Matt Rodda), other parts of Amendments 47 and 49 would ensure that environmental the ring around London, or indeed a very rural area like land management schemes contain a mechanism to deliver mine, we must not put planners in a situation where adequate financial support to our farmers for delivering they have no power to prevent developers from damaging landscape benefits, in particular species conservation the countryside or, as is the case in a place like mine, to and protected site strategies, and so rewarding our prevent developers from delivering up to 50 houses farmers for maintaining the beauty of our landscape. without having to deliver a single affordable property. We have done that inadvertently through various funding Nine out of 10 planning permission applications get schemes over the past few decades, but it is about to passed. More than a million planning applications for drop by the wayside. It is hard to put a price on landscape homes have not been delivered. Planning is not the problem; beauty, but it is vital that we do so. planning is the protection for our communities and our In the lake district and the Yorkshire dales, in a environment. That is why this amendment is important normal year our Cumbria tourism economy is worth to try to undo and mitigate some of the Government’s more than £3 billion and employs 60,000 people in our attack on our rural communities. county—tourism is comfortably the biggest employer in Cumbria. Underpinning that economy is the beauty of Julie Marson (Hertford and Stortford) (Con): It is a the landscape. pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), and it is a real pleasure to Neil Parish: I agree very much with the hon. Gentleman. speak in this debate. It was over a year ago that I made Farming, landscape and tourism are closely integrated. my maiden speech specifically so that I had the opportunity As we deal with the Environment Bill, we have to to contribute to the Second Reading of this Bill, so it is remember that agriculture and tourism are interlinked, a pleasure to be back here again. especially in the rural parts of this great country of ours. It is worth reflecting on the context of where we are Tim Farron: The Select Committee Chair is absolutely now, because in the intervening time, the pieces of our right, and I completely agree. Wehave to find a mechanism country and the world have been almost thrown into the to make sure that we reward those who maintain the air, and we still do not quite know where they will land. beauty of our landscape. The pandemic makes the Bill even more important than I have often been in places such as Barbondale, it was over a year ago. It is fair to say that all of us have Dentdale, Langdale, Kentmere, Longsleddale and other had time to reassess priorities. We have considered our glorious bits of my part of the world. I almost feel priorities in life—our quality of life, our family, our compelled to express envy of the hill farmer I am with health and our friends—and this Bill has become even in his or her glorious environment, but often the response more important, because many of us, with the roads is a slightly sad look that says, “I can’t eat the view.”It is quiet and having limited time to get out, have reflected all very well having a beautiful place, but if those who on the importance of our natural environment and work there make a pittance, what good is it to them? what is around us. Our appreciation of nature and the That is what is happening in the uplands, where people need to focus on species loss and the things that make are steadily moving away as farms fail and close. The our environment unique to our localities are even more Government’s plan to offer early retirement to farmers important than they were. offers no mechanism to get young people in to replace With respect, I must disagree with the shadow Secretary them, and just in the last few days, the only agricultural of State’s characterisation of this as not being a landmark college in Cumbria has closed. Bill, because it is a landmark Bill. It is a bold Bill. I I am desperate to ensure that the ELMS rewards particularly reject the characterisation that it is a mark farmers for landscape value, but there is currently no of a Government or, indeed, any Member on the effective mechanism to do that. That should be added, Government Benches not caring about the environment, which is why the amendment matters. I am also concerned because it absolutely is not that. about what the Bill means for the status of some of the beautiful parts of the United Kingdom. UNESCO Sir Oliver Heald: In our area, there are a lot of chalk awarded world heritage site status to the lake district streams.Does my hon. Friend agree that for our population just a few years ago. The report that resulted in the award and our area, points that the Government have agreed 401 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 402

[Sir Oliver Heald] State too much discretion and refusing to implement too many of the changes that we need. Lockdown on, such as not having sewage overflows into the streams highlighted more than ever the importance of nature and treating low flows as damage that has to be restored, for our nation’s health and our wellbeing, but under the are incredibly valuable things? Tories, wildlife has been on a downward spiral, with 44% of species in decline over the last 10 years and tree Julie Marson: I thank my right hon. and learned planting targets being missed by over 50%. I want to see Friend and neighbour, because I will come on to mention nature protected, which is why I am also supporting chalk streams, which are such a vital part of our new clause 25—along with others I have signed that are environment as a country, particularly in Hertford and in the name of the Opposition Front Benchers—to Hertfordshire. In Hertford and Stortford—I may be ensure that we are focused not just on planting new biased—we have one of the most beautiful places in the trees,but on protecting and maintaining existing woodlands. world to live and work, and this Bill is important to me Hounslow Council’s work on this has been inspiring, and and my constituents. I am proud to also be an environmental champion. We are going to rely on many of the Bill’s provisions. I want to speak briefly about plastics, because the Development is a major driver of species loss and pandemic has also vividly illustrated the scale of waste environmental degradation, so the biodiversity net gain created by single-use and throwaway packaging. Public, requirements will be critical for us in protecting our political and corporate concerns over plastic pollution environment. We have swathes of green belt that will be are strong. We have a real opportunity to reduce the developed, and there is lots of infill development. This volume of single-use plastics that are harming our Bill will be really important to help us to retain our environment, our oceans and our health. environment in those circumstances. I thank the Minister In March 2018, the Government first confirmed that for her engagement with the all-party parliamentary they would introduce a deposit return scheme in England group on chalk streams, because that has produced for single-use drinks containers, including plastic, glass some strong commitments and practical solutions. and metal. This went out for consultation in February In my constituency in Hertfordshire, we have five 2019. Respondents to the consultation overwhelmingly amazing chalk streams: the Stort, the Mimram, the backed a deposit return scheme, which is also very much Beane, the Ash and the River Lea. We all know that supported by Heston Action Group, Cranford Action they have been called the rainforests of the environment, Group and many others across west London and in the because they are so key to diversity in the ecosystem. I constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford absolutely agree with my right hon. and learned Friend and Isleworth (Ruth Cadbury). that the provisions in the Bill about chalk streams are The Government were going to introduce a deposit extremely welcome and important. return scheme from 2023, but two months ago, a I am pleased to speak also as the RSPB champion for consultation document confirmed that it would not the kestrel, because these things are inextricably linked. now happen until late 2024 at the earliest. There is a In Rye Meads nature reserve in my constituency, the clear case to proceed, so can the Minister explain why kestrel has declined drastically, but focus on chalk streams they need to explore whether there is a continued appetite and the wildlife they produce will help the kestrel as for a deposit return scheme in a post-covid context? well. The environment is so complex, and I welcome the This is an excuse, not a reason. We should be introducing progress we have made and thank the Minister for her a deposit return scheme well before late 2024. Although engagement on that. proposals to establish a DRS are contained in the Bill, it When I spoke last time, I quoted Rudyard Kipling, does not say what materials will be included within a and although I will not overuse his beautiful words, scheme, nor the deposit price. what he said is that we cannot just sit back and expect World Environment Day is on 5 June, just next week. everything—our beautiful land—to happen without us We need to be engaging young people on the importance playing our part. I believe that this Bill is very much us of our natural world. I recently held an environment playing our part. photography competition inviting young people aged 18 and under to send in a drawing or photo that Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op): represented nature to them, so we can see the environment The environment is the bedrock of our economy and through the eyes of young people. The entries have our wellbeing. It is not something separate from ourselves; shown how much young people in Feltham and Heston it is in the food we eat and the places where we live. I care about the environment and about the importance know this, as do my constituents in Feltham and Heston. of reducing, reusing and recycling. We cannot let these Whether they are emailing me about biodiversity, badger young people down. It is their futures that this Bill will culling, air pollution, habitats, parks, clean and green affect, and it is this Parliament’s responsibility to protect streets or everything in between, it is clear that they care our environment for the generations to come. This about the environment and about the other creatures needs a serious long-term plan and the political will to that we share nature with. Indeed, I was a member of deliver it. Friends of the Earth before I joined the Labour party as a teenager. Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) (Con) [V]: Many of us will As we prepare to host COP26 in November and as we be glad to see the back of endless Zoom calls that merge leave the EU’s regulatory frameworks, now is the time into one another. One that will always remain with me to create positive, impactful, long-lasting environmental was the first time that I met Des, the brown long-eared protections. Unfortunately, the Government do not seem bat. It was the first time that I had seen one of these preparedtostrengthenourlegislationfullyonenvironmental remarkable creatures close up, and he did indeed have protections, instead seeming to give the Secretary of the most spectacular ears, almost as long as his body. I 403 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 404 was meeting Des because I am the Bat Conservation legislation, the mainstay of conservation law. Although Trust’s species champion for brown long-eared bats—a there is undoubtedly a strong case for aligning laws that species that are quite common in Rushcliffe and across protect habitats and species with the goal of halting the Nottinghamshire, but whose numbers are in decline decline of nature by 2030, I am concerned that the owing to habitat loss. Sadly, Des and his fellow bats are Government proposal is for new regulations that in fact not alone. In the UK, there has been on average a 13% could replace the habitats regulations and risk losing decline in species abundance since 1970, with a steeper vital protection for wildlife, rather than adding to them. decline seen in the past 10 years. Species extinction is a Yet the Bill is not a replacement for the nature directives. very real danger for one in 10 species here in the UK. They serve two distinct purposes. The first—the Bill—sets That is why the provisions in the Bill are so important. I an overarching nature’s recovery. The second provides strongly welcome the requirement for all new developments protection for particular species and habitats, including to have a biodiversity net gain of over 10%. particular local populations and individual specimens. In order to fully restore nature, we need both species 2 pm and site-specific protection, as well as a bold overall New homes are important, but we must do more to goal. As these new clauses are currently drafted, though, protect our beautiful countryside from overdevelopment. they risk removing the much needed protection of species We must exhaust our options on local brownfield sites and nature-critical areas, such as great crested newts or before allowing more development on nearby countryside. special areas of conservation, with significant damage Thanks to the Bill, the homes that we build must deliver, to particular wildlife being masked by hoped-for overall rather than detract from, biodiversity. That will be so trends of improvement. We know that the scale and important for species, like bats, that use existing structures health of individual populations are crucial to restoring for their roosts and are loyal to them. The type of biodiversity. I am also concerned that there has been no homes we develop can make a huge difference to how prior consultation or engagement with stakeholders on welcome they feel. these amendments and that neither an impact assessment I also welcome the requirements for local authorities nor the supplementary delegated powers memorandum to produce nature recovery strategies as part of a 500,000- has been published. hectare nature recovery network, the largest restoration In the light of those concerns, I have tabled two small project in England’s history. I am delighted to hear that amendments to new clause 21, simply replacing “instead the Bill will be further strengthened with a legally of” with “in addition to”, which would ensure that the binding target for species abundance. This will halt the existing objectives in the Conservation of Habitats and decline in nature in England by 2030. It is a world-leading Species Regulations are not replaced, but added to. measure, which will help to redress the biodiversity loss They would enable the habitats regulations to be aligned that we have seen in the past 50 years. with the objectives outlined in the Environment Bill I am also relieved that the Bill will help to tackle without risking the protection of specific sites, species biodiversity loss overseas, in particular illegal deforestation, or populations. which is the cause of half of all tropical forest deforestation. We will be the first country in the world to put due These amendments are not about being frozen in diligencerequirementsonlargebusinessesthatuseforest-risk time. I recognise that change is necessary—I was online commodities in their products. Any such commodities earlier listening to the Minister’s introductory remarks, must be produced in accordance with local laws. Businesses so I heard what she said—but the new framework must must establish a system of due diligence for each regulated be about improving environmental protection rather commodity and report annually on it. That process than creating the potential at least to weaken it. Even if rests on the principle of productive partnership with this Government have no plans to weaken regulations, Governments around the world, building on successful as I hope they do not, this is a once-in-a-generation Bill programmes like the Partnership for Forests programme, and it must be future-proofed. There is no guarantee but we must remain alive to the reality that local laws that a future Minister in a future Government will not may be distorted and changed to suit commercial agendas. choose to use this opportunity to water down protections, I am thinking in particular of the shameful actions we and we need safeguards against that. These are therefore are seeing from the Brazilian Government. We must be entirely reasonable amendments, which I hope very much prepared for even stronger action to protect tropical the Government will support. forests if this does not change. In the last bit of time that I have left, I simply want to This Environment Bill is a fantastic step forward. It say a few words about new clause 16, tabled by the right provides a strong platform for our negotiations at the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Theresa Villiers), UN biodiversity conference and our presidency of COP26 which would make the protection of biodiversity a this autumn, and I look forward to telling Des at our condition of planning permission. I am sure the Minister next meeting the good news that we have passed the Bill. is aware of the threat currently faced by Knepp estate, one of the UK’s best known and most successful rewilding Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green) [V]: I am projects, by a development being proposed by Thakeham pleased to speak in this vital debate. Given the short Homes, which would destroy local habitat and obstruct time that we have, I shall focus on new clauses 21 vital wildlife corridors and connections between Knepp and 22, two wide-ranging new clauses tabled by the and neighbouring areas. As this project will deliver on Government, and my amendments (a) and (b), which I the objectives laid out in the Environment Bill, I would plan to press to a Division. welcome confirmation that the Minister is in contact These new clauses would give the Secretary of State with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities the power to amend the Conservation of Habitats and and Local Government to ensure that he is championing Species Regulations 2017. These are critical pieces of its cause and will intervene in this case. 405 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 406

[Caroline Lucas] forefront of plans to try to introduce a fleet of zero-emission hydrogen buses, supported by smart mobility hubs. It has been 25 years since the last UK-wide Environment These are huge advances being made by Conservatives Act was passed. In that time, the speed and scale of working together across the whole nation. There is also destruction have increased dramatically. We need a bold the county council’s new £2 million green entrepreneurs new Bill and we need to do more to make this Bill what fund, which will support small and medium-sized businesses. we need. In terms of the emphasis on local authorities, Derbyshire Dales District Council, led by Councillor Garry Purdy Miss Sarah Dines (Derbyshire Dales) (Con): It is with and his hard-working councillor Sue Hobson as deputy, great pleasure that I rise today to speak on this important works tirelessly on environmental issues, promoting Bill and on a vital issue that is central to the people of things as small as wild flowers and trees, which are hugely Derbyshire Dales and, indeed, of the world. This is a significant. landmark Bill and I have been waiting for it for many years. In conclusion, the people of Derbyshire Dales, the farmers who till this land and care for their livestock Environmentalism is at the heart of building back and the people who live on our moors and our uplands better, not just on these islands but as part of the Prime are in touch with the environment; they need support Minister’s vision for a global Britain. Tackling climate and help, and this Government are giving it. While they change and biodiversity loss was listed as the United need no prompting to look after that landscape, the Kingdom’s No.1 international priority in the recent provisions in the Bill will make their job a lot easier. review of defence and foreign policy. There can be no This is a Government who are actually delivering. doubt that the environment is safest when it is in the hands of a sensible Conservative Government. Rather Bob Seely: I will speak briefly in favour of four than delivering hot air, this Government are delivering amendments. First, I pay tribute to the Minister for her conservation. hard work in seeing the Bill through and the fact that, Of special interest to Derbyshire Dales is what the even now, she is determined to try to improve it by Government are doing in relation to tree planting and adding new clauses, showing diligence on her and her peatland restoration. These are huge issues locally and team’s part, which we all welcome. I especially welcome should be so internationally. It is through the nature for the action on sewage. We had problems in Ryde and climate fund and also with the creation of the Nature Sandown recently with sewage coming from Southern Recovery Network that we will see better policies and Water, so such action is welcome on the Isle of Wight, better things going forward. We will also get a more and I congratulate Surfers Against Sewage and my right connected and richer wildlife habitat. hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Philip Dunne) on I welcome the fact that, in a 25-year environment his great work, as well as the Minister on supporting it. plan, the Government will be introducing three new Of the four amendments I will refer to, one is tabled schemes, which are very well thought out and planned, by my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke to reward farmers and land managers for producing (Mrs Miller), one by my right hon. Friend the Member public goods. Such planning is non-existent on the for Chipping Barnet (Theresa Villiers) and two by me. Opposition Benches. These schemes are most welcome They are probing amendments, seeking reassurance. If and will be adapted, I am sure, to suit all of our farmers, the Minister thinks that the work is in the Bill, that is including my upland farmers in Derbyshire Dales. good enough for me, but I would like to put these ideas In the months since my election, I have been delighted forward to ensure that they are. to meet and work with organisations locally that care On amendment 41, tabled by my right hon. Friend deeply about this—they are committed to the environment the Member for Basingstoke amendment, I find it absolutely in Derbyshire Dales—such as Moors for the Future bizarre that character is not a prerequisite for major partnership, which is leading the country in this area, planning applications—I am not talking about a bungalow and the Minister knows full well about its work. This extension or a patio but significant development. Criminal work is vital and it is the Conservative Government records, poor behaviour, threats to intimidate others who are supporting it. Free of the shackles of Europe, and mass tree felling do not seem to be things that we we can focus on what we can do on our part of this can take into account. precious planet. We have a Mr John Cooper in the Isle of Wight who I have visited many farmers in my constituency. They owns a caravan park in an area of outstanding natural are a quiet and rugged people. They do not need to be beauty. He has recently cut down 50 oak trees to build a attacked; they need to be supported. They live and work caravan park extension. If that planning permission in a day-to-day partnership with nature, and this comes forward, we cannot turn him down on his appalling Government are doing that. I know just how much all behaviour. He has gone to ground since then, and it the people of Derbyshire Dales care about the environment. would be nice if he made a public statement to folk on I recently met with the Wirksworth Anglican church the Isle of Wight on what he is up to. I thank Councillor and other churches in the Wellspring group, which care Peter Spink for pointing this out. Character needs to be passionately about the environment. Whatever people’s part of the planning process, because we know that politics, if they care about the environment, I will work there are some rogue developers. I know that this is about with them and get this Government to continue their planning, but importantly, as I am sure the Minister good work on the environment. would agree, it is also about environmental protection. With new technology and industry, under this The more layers and safeguards that we can put in to Conservative Government we will be leading the way protect landscape, the better. for not just a greener UK but a greener world. Derbyshire I will not go into new clause 16, tabled by my right County Council, ably led by Councillor Barry Lewis hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet, because and his newly elected Conservative colleagues, is at the I know that she will speak to it soon very eloquently. In 407 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 408 the remaining minute and a half, I would like to speak We are experiencing the impact of the decline and to my two amendments. New clause 27 would require destruction of nature in the wellbeing of people around tree preservation orders for all mature trees and protected the world, from the destruction of the habitats of indigenous landscapes. It is a no-brainer, unless the Minister says, people and the emergence of climate refugees to, of “Actually, Bob, I think we’ve got this covered. We accept course, the spread of disease. We are well beyond crisis the argument, but our proposals go further,” and I will point, and if that was not clear before the pandemic take that on trust. surely that has educated us all about the stark links New clause 26 is on SSSIs, which are very important. between the destruction of nature and our lives. An I have an SSSI on the Isle of Wight that is about to be intergovernmental report has warned that we are in the concreted over because of a loophole in planning and era of pandemics unless the destruction of the natural environmental law. I have written to Ministers about world is halted. Again, that has happened not by chance this, and I am afraid to say that the responses have been but through an obsessive pursuit of growth. a little perfunctory, to put it mildly. There is clearly a Among the most important provisions in this Bill are problem here, because there is a time limit under the those that can force UK companies to look at their Town and Country Planning Act 1990 which means supply chains and ensure they are not supporting illegal that if someone has a caravan or temporary home on a deforestation in other countries. I particularly welcome SSSI and it is not taken away within a certain timeframe, amendments 26, 27, 36 and 37, which I have signed, they can effectively develop that SSSI. They may not be which would strengthen and enforce provision against able to stick permanent homes on it, but they can stick illegal deforestation. The UK is one of the biggest 200 caravans on it and concrete over the entire SSSI. sources of finance linked to companies involved in How on earth can that be right? I know the Minister is deforestation and we cannot hide any longer behind the concerned about the environment, so if she thinks that lack of transnational governance or the lack of enforcement is covered in the Bill, I take it on trust, but if not will she or binding regulations in countries of operation; we please take forward this new clause and incorporate it cannot look the other way from activities done overseas either here or in the other place? This is absolutely a to the economic benefit of companies here or to underpin useful provision that closes an important loophole where consumption habits here. It is positive that global brands SSSIs are damaged recklessly by people who deliberately have urged the strengthening of that law, but it is game the system. I thank her for listening. important that the Government ensure that supply chains are transformed. This is a very important Bill offering a big opportunity 2.15 pm to strengthen legislation, but it needs to be improved by Claire Hanna (Belfast South) (SDLP) [V]: I am grateful many of the amendments that have been tabled, including for this opportunity to speak on clauses relating to those I have mentioned. nature, biodiversity and conservation in this important Bill. Although some of them relate to devolved matters, (Truro and Falmouth) (Con) [V]: as with most of the big challenges of this century the It is a pleasure to be called to speak in this debate. This environment and nature do not respect borders and it is place is admired for its rigorous scrutiny—the new clauses important that strong legislation is in place across these and amendments proposed by Members from across islands to reverse the decline of nature and protect the House are no exception—and I believe the Government native species and biodiversity. are genuinely listening to concerns. Further amendments The Social Democratic and Labour party has just have been made to the Bill since I served in the Public undertaken a big consultation ahead of private Members’ Bill Committee last year. legislation on biodiversity loss in Northern Ireland. We The changes being debated today are important to found significant support for stronger legislation to the residents of Truro and Falmouth, because Cornwall protect nature, including the need for short-term and is on the frontline of the UK’s battle against climate long-term targets, cross-departmental responsibility and change. With respect, I disagree with the shadow Minister, a co-ordinated response and approach across Britain and because in my opinion this is a landmark Bill. It is not Northern Ireland. the end of the story or even the beginning of it, but it is The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries a landmark moment. It puts in place a world-leading in the world, in particular Northern Ireland, with more framework for environmental improvement and governance, than 11% of indigenous species at risk of extinction. including legally binding targets and environmental This is the price being paid for a fairly obsessive approach improvement plans; an independent green watchdog to economic growth and expansion at all costs. To date, which will help Parliament and more importantly, my the UK and others have continuously and consistently constituents to hold the Government to account on missed targets in relation to biodiversity recovery,including their commitments; and measures to reverse the decline any of the 20 Aichi targets agreed in 2010. Although in nature at home and overseas and to tackle waste. this is by no means a failure of the UK Government Ministers know that this is part of an ongoing process alone, as one of the largest economies and a major and that we Back Benchers will continue to press further, contributor, directly and indirectly, through activities harder and at pace. across the world, the UK must take seriously its leadership On water quality, the extensive work and lobbying by role, particularly in this year when it hosts the G7 and my right hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Philip COP26. I welcome the commitment to conservation Dunne), Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, strategies in the Bill and believe that they can be have resulted in the Government’s commitment to strengthened by amendment 45, which seeks to avoid a publishing a plan by 2022 to reduce sewage discharges repeat of the IT failures and to ensure that those targets and to report to Parliament on progress, and to place a are meaningful and met. legal duty on water companies to publish data on storm 409 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 410

[Cherilyn Mackrory] have highlighted, we have much further to go. The Government need to stop resisting concrete protections overflow operations on an annual basis. The Bill also set down and start putting their money where their requires the Government to set a legally binding target mouth is and protecting our environment. for water quality. That will be particularly welcomed by Like other Members, I want to talk about deforestation. Surfers Against Sewage, which is based in St Agnes in We need to remove deforestation and conversion from my constituency and campaigns tirelessly on this issue. I UK supply chains, and increase due diligence obligations. continue to press Government on its behalf and on There are elements of due diligence in the Bill, but, behalf of everyone who, like me, regularly swims outdoors. according to the World Wildlife Fund, they do not go I praise the Government on new clause 21, which far enough to protect the world’s forests and other Ministers set out previously. It amends the Bill to set natural ecosystems, nor do they meet the UK’s goals on additional legally binding targets for species abundance climate and nature. That is why I support amendments for 2030 to halt the decline of nature. That could be the 26, 27, 36, 37 and 38, which would ensure that these due “net zero” for nature, finally addressing the biodiversity diligence measures covered deforestation and financial decline, and I am pleased that that target will go alongside institutions, as well as being subject to a more progressive other legally binding targets for waste, water quality and review requirement. air quality. The Bill as it stands does not address the financing I have concerns about how compatible this is with the behind deforestation. Global Witness’s research points forthcoming planning White Paper, and I wish to give to evidence that suggests that financial institutions are an example of what can be achieved if the will is there. failing to act on deforestation risks and will not be On the A30 between Chiverton and Carland Cross, in required to do so until bound by law; it is time that we the midst of my constituency, Costain is delivering an did that. It is crucial that free, prior and informed 8.7-mile dual carriageway for Highways England. Journeys consent is obtained from indigenous peoples and local on this part of the road are regularly delayed and communities, and that relevant local laws are complied congestion often brings the traffic to a standstill, especially with. It is also crucial that decisions affecting the natural in peak holiday time, and as a result the Cornish economy environment, such as planning decisions, are informed is being held back. Following a recent visit to the by local nature recovery strategies. project and a meeting with the team, it is evident to me On biodiversity, Labour is drawing a clear line through that they are committed to protecting nature’s net gain. amendment 22, which would require habitats secured Biodiversity and conservation improvements are at the under biodiversity gain to be maintained in perpetuity, heart of the scheme. The project has a 10% biodiversity rather than the current 30 years specified in the Bill. It net gain target and is predicted to smash it. Developers would also ensure that the habitat secured under biodiversity take note: this is possible. Costain and its environment gain is secured “in its target condition”. manager, Ali Thomas, are deeply committed to and passionate about protecting the environment. The landscape On trees, new clause 25 has my full support, as the and ecological design proposals they have developed Blaydon constituency has breathtaking woodlands and include planting nectar-rich wild flowers indigenous to forests. The Government should publish a proper tree Cornwall; tree and hedge planting, which will replace strategy for England. The current plan sets targets for loss; crossings for otters, bats, badgers and other animals tree planting, but has little else on protecting, maintaining that will be built along the road; and a variety of and restoring existing woodlands. We need a full strategy foraging, nesting and roosting opportunities for other that holds the Government to account and sets targets species. Other innovative measures are happening, but I for such areas. do not have time to go into that this afternoon. Amendment 46 would ensure that species conservation To conclude, with the G7 in Cornwall next month strategies contribute to nature recovery, and that the and COP26 in Glasgow later this year, we hope that this measures within them contribute to the enhancement of Environment Bill, which is a truly groundbreaking piece the conservation of species they concern. This could, of legislation, will signal to the rest of the world that for instance, ensure that effective strategies are put in this Government and this country are serious about place to restore the populations of bees and other protecting our environment for the long term. pollinator species, and protect them from pesticide use. On local government, the Bill’s aspirations could be Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab): The UK is one of the undermined by the planning White Paper.Local authorities most nature-depleted countries in the world. The World must be funded properly if they are to make the most of Wide Fund for Nature’s “Living Planet Report 2020” biodiversity gain in planning applications. showed an average 68% decline in mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish since 1970. That is heart- breaking. We are in a climate and ecological emergency, Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) (Con): It was an honour but, as we all know, with this Bill we have a real to serve on the Environment Bill Committee, as it is to opportunity to change course. We could still restore speak today on Report. My thanks go to the Minister biodiversity, increase wildlife numbers and protect nature. and all who have worked so hard on this landmark Bill. Sadly, the Labour amendments proposed in Committee The biodiversity amendments are particularly important were rejected and defeated by the Government. Those to my constituency of Ynys Môn, with its incredible amendments concerned protecting and enhancing the biodiversity supporting common and rarer species. The powers of the OEP, World Health Organisation air rare lesser-spotted yellow rock rose—the county flower pollution limits and comprehensive action on waste and of Ynys Môn—grows near my home, and at a visit to recycling. The draft Bill was a missed opportunity. It the National Trust Plas Newydd last week, I was lucky has since been improved in some ways, but as colleagues to see native red squirrels. Anglesey Sea Zoo offers an and many environmental non-governmental organisations introduction to the secrets of the local marine world. 411 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 412

When I joined a North Wales Wildlife Trust beach clean has the lowest level of tree canopy in Berkshire and is this month, I was horrified to find hundreds of plastic below the national minimum target of 20% tree cover. cotton bud shafts, tiny plastic nurdles, foreign plastic While the Labour council with its limited resources is containers and bottles old enough to be labelled in planting 9,000 trees locally, again, more must be done shillings. nationally by providing adequate funding, direction Last week, one of my young constituents, Wilfy, took and resources to local authorities. As the WWF rightly me on a walk past Llyn Penrhyn to Ysgol y Tywyn as notes, this Bill does part of National Walk to School Week. He and his “not go far enough to protect the world’s forests and other critical friends in Mrs Griffiths’s class spoke of their concerns natural ecosystems.” about the impact of non-biodegradable waste on their How can the Minister and the Government allow this to natural environment. We all do our bit for the island. continue? Next Tuesday, I am running my own beach clean as part Sadly, this trend extends to biodiversity and species of Spring Clean Cymru. Gerald Thomas and other conservation, with very real consequences for my farmers plant and maintain native species hedgerows, constituency and our planet. Another local project I and sick and injured hedgehogs are restored to health recently visited, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, has seen by Sue Timperley at Hedgehuggles. Sue will be delighted this in Slough’s Salt Hill stream: to hear the Minister’s news on hedgehogs today. “Fish were dying. It was clogged up with old car tyres, carrier We cannot achieve the biodiversity targets proposed bags and household waste. Water quality had deteriorated and its in the Bill without global action. Non-biodegradable future looked bleak.” waste is a global problem, and it affects the symbiotic However, its incredible work with the community has relationship of our natural environment. Both the UK meant improved water quality, new homes for wildlife, and Welsh Governments have already banned the supply and engagement and education for local people, but it of some non-reusable plastics. Part 6 of the Bill covers should never have got to this point. Why are the England only, but I urge the Welsh Government to Government so slow to act to stop the ecological devastation enact similar legislation on biodiversity targets as soon brought about by the continual discharge of untreated as possible. sewage, plastics and other effluents into our rivers and This year, the UK holds the presidencies of both the oceans? G7 in Cornwall and COP26 in Glasgow, and I hope we Nationally, over the past 10 years, wildlife in Britain will use this Conservative Government’s landmark Bill has seen a 44% decline in species, with some charities to lead the way on global action to make long-term calling it a “lost decade for nature”. Again, targets have improvements for habitats and biodiversity worldwide. been woefully missed. The Government conceded last If we achieve nothing else, let us give Wilfy and his class- year that they have failed on two thirds of targets mates on Anglesey a natural environment that improves agreed at the convention on biological diversity in 2010, as they get older, not one that continues to decline. but analysis by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds later showed that on six of those targets the UK 2.30 pm has actually gone backwards. We must set ourselves Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab): Every ambitious targets and ensure accountability so that they aspect of this Environment Bill will have an impact not are achieved. This is not the time for complacency, and only now, but for decades if not centuries, so I am we should be under no illusion: warm words will not pleased to see it return to the House because we cannot tackle the pressing environmental and climate crises afford to wait. Inaction risks the lives of our children, that we are facing as a society. grandchildren and future generations, and legislation on targets, plans and policies is essential to turn the tide. Mrs (Basingstoke) (Con): I rise to speak Yet, sadly, this Conservative Government have not shown to amendment 41. It is a probing amendment, which the ambition needed, while pushing back responsibilities aims to strengthen this important Bill further by including on legally binding targets for two decades and failing to a provision to enable local planning authorities to take put in place concrete protections for the environment unlawful tree felling and a lack of compliance with from trade agreements. Given their current record for restocking orders into account when considering planning making promises and not delivering, forgive me if I am applications. I thank my former researcher, Annabel not surprised. Jones, for her work in making the case for change that I Sadly, my Slough constituents know the impact of am presenting today. the environment on their lives acutely. Slough has the I very much welcome the work that my hon. Friend second highest death rate from the deadly air pollutant the Minister has done to make sure that the Bill is the PM2.5. While excellent work is being done at local level groundbreaking measure that is before us today. I also by Slough Borough Council, with its low emission give my wholehearted support to new clauses 26 and 27, strategy and air quality action plan, if nothing further which my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight is done at a macro level by Government, we will continue (Bob Seely) tabled. He spoke eloquently about the need to breathe these dangerous levels of pollution. So can for that change. the Minister outline why the Tories voted down the I want to focus my remarks on the provisions about Labour party’sattempts to write World Health Organisation tree protection. The Government should be applauded air pollution limits into this Bill? for the trees action plan and the measures in the Bill, It seems as though Government rhetoric far outweighs which have significantly strengthened protection for action when it comes to the environment. This is epitomised one of our vital pieces of green infrastructure. I particularly by the England trees action plan, with targets being welcome schedule 15, which directly addresses some of missed, staggeringly, by over 50%. This has a real impact the problems that my residents experienced when a because, being a densely populated urban area, Slough group of landowners illegally felled more than 600 trees, 413 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 414

[Mrs Maria Miller] have been able to plant some 3,500 saplings, which is a commitment we have given, and they have grown into causing environmental devastation in what was an trees. It is a beautiful spot on the farm but, importantly, environmental buffer zone.With the Government’ssupport, it has also helped our environment by reducing CO2 the Forestry Commission used its enforcement powers and creating wonderful habitats for local wildlife. to issue restocking orders, but the landowners did not I believe that more can be done to encourage landowners comply with much of that. Under the Government’s to plant trees. The Minister in the Department of new proposals, enforcement would be much tougher Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has committed and that is welcome. However, I look forward to the himself and his Department to plant 1 million trees on Minister’s response to my amendment to see if we could Northern Ireland Water land. strengthen it further. I commend the recent publication of the “England The problem is not unique to Basingstoke. The illegal Trees Action Plan”, which contains some important felling of trees is on the increase and a common motive initiatives. It is believed that the Government could do is taking advantage of the housing development value more tree-themed activity on a statutory footing, to fill of the land. In recent years, there have been countless in the gaps left by the ETAP on protection, restoration flagrant breaches of felling regulations. My hon. Friend and regeneration. the Member for Isle of Wight mentioned a case in his constituency, but there are other cases—in the New I fully support the comments made by the hon. Member Forest, Swansea, Horley and Langley—where trees have for North Herefordshire (Bill Wiggin) about the value been unlawfully felled and in some cases not replanted, and importance to the rural countryside of game shooting even after enforcement action from the courts. and the jobs and tourism it creates. Landowners flout the law because they think can get I understand the rationale behind the strategy for away with it. Schedule 15 roundly deals with cynical conservation, but it does not include help for tree planting. actions by landowners by allowing the courts to reissue I believe the Minister is committed to tree planting, but planning notices, but amendment 41 is designed to perhaps she will comment on that in the wind up. create even more of a disincentive for landowners to I endorse the shadow Minister’s comments on the flout the law by amending the Town and Country importance of bees to creating the correct balance of Planning Act to allow local planning authorities to take habitats in the countryside, and the importance of ensuring into account unlawful tree felling and a lack of compliance the Minister takes that on board. I also endorse and when considering planning applications. I hope that the commend the Government, and the Minister in particular, Minister can consider that today because I and many of for their commitment to the preservation of hedgehogs. my constituents feel that it is inherently wrong for I read in a magazine the other day that badgers are one landowners to profit financially from their unlawful of the greatest predators of hedgehogs, so perhaps we deforestation of land. I hope that this probing amendment can protect the hedgehogs by controlling the badgers. will capture her attention and I am keen to hear her response. Theresa Villiers: As I have said before in this Chamber, Jim Shannon: It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. there can be few things more important for any Member Member for Basingstoke (Mrs Miller) and I endorse her of Parliament than being able to say, “We played our comments about amendment 41 and tree felling. I totally part in protecting our natural environment for future support what she hopes to achieve with her probing generations.”This Bill contains one of the most ambitious amendment. In an intervention on the Minister, I asked programmes to conserve and enhance nature ever a similar question and the Minister kindly gave a undertaken in this country. That includes, as we have commitment, so perhaps the right hon. Lady and others heard today: setting a demanding 2030 target for species will be encouraged by the Minister’s response. conservation and biodiversity; delivering a nature recovery The hon. Member for Belfast South (Claire Hanna) network and local strategies for nature; creating a whole talked about the importance of trees, not only here but new income stream for conservation through biodiversity across the world and mentioned amendments 26, 27, 36 net gain; committing land to nature for the long term and 37, which refer to deforestation around the world, using conservation covenants; and cracking down on and the importance of playing our part in tackling it. the use of commodities produced via illegal deforestation. I also endorse that. The Bill is just one element of an even wider conservation I want to speak about parts 6 and 7 of the Bill on tree package being taken forward by this Conservative planting. They tackle a particular issue of many trees Government, including replacing the common agricultural being felled and the land built over without proper policy with environmental land management schemes, a licensing or adhering to permissions. Amendment 41 massive uplift in tree planting and an action plan to provides for local planning authorities to take unlawful protect our peatlands. Peatland areas are an iconic part tree felling and landowners’ lack of compliance with of our landscape in these islands, and they are our restocking and enforcement orders into account when largest terrestrial carbon store, they are a haven for rare considering planning applications. The right hon. Member wildlife and they provide a crucial record of our past. I for Basingstoke referred to the removal of 600 trees, warmly welcome the Government’s promise that they some of them important trees. I would like to know and will take action to reverse the loss of peatland habitats have on record whether the Minister believes that the and restore more of these landscapes to their natural Bill addresses that issue robustly. state. I very much hope that will include delivery of the Trees are our lungs, so it is imperative that, any time a great north bog project. tree is felled, it is thought out and the consequences New clause 16 would require planning permission to considered, and that steps are taken to replant the trees be refused if it would have a detrimental impact on that have been chopped down. On the family farm we nature conservation. I am afraid that much of the good 415 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 416 work done under this Bill could be undone if radical changes Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for to the planning system mean that we concrete over our Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard). That green and pleasant land. Implementing the “Planning is 40 years off the target of 2050 and it is an example of for the Future” White Paper would mean a massive where we can have a lot of warm words and keep centralisation of power through setting development talking things up, but if we do not have enforceable management policies nationally rather than locally. action by the Office for Environmental Protection, as Compliance with design codes could become sufficient there should be, we will be coming back here in one to override long-standing principles restricting density, year, in five years or in 10 years’ time and we will not see massing and bulk, and local democratic input would be the amount of tree planting that we need. removed altogether in zones designated for growth. The action plan was originally promised as a 30-year vision for England’s trees and woods, but it has been Bob Seely: I am so grateful to my right hon. Friend published as a shortlist of commitments, with three for making that point. It concerns us that there is years of funding. Long-term funding is needed for any potentially a dichotomy between these fantastically good real environmental action. Clear timescales are needed ideas on the environment and the fact that we may to ensure that objectives are met, and clarity on that undermine ourselves by having the wrong culture behind funding beyond 2024 will be absolutely necessary to the new planning Bill. give the sector long-term security.I welcome the provision for consultation with local people about tree felling that Theresa Villiers: My hon. Friend makes a valid point. will happen in their roads, and I think that will give This is a great Bill and we do not want it undermined by people the power they need to stick up for their local the planning Bill that is to come. My constituency of trees, which will be very good. However, Ministry of Chipping Barnet already feels under siege from Defence land should have been included in the Bill. We inappropriate, high-density development, even before have power over so much of our swathes of land in this these radical planning reforms come into force. If the country and the armed forces have environmental targets Government are truly committed to the environmental and actions, so they would be able to put such provision aspirations of the legislation before us this afternoon, into place. Why is MOD land not included, because we they must think again about their planning Bill, and I could have lots of tree planting? I share the concerns urge them to do that. that other Members have expressed today that this Bill will be undermined by the planning Bill. 2.45 pm Despite the progress over the last week, there is an Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab): Hon. Members will urgent need for a medium to long-term strategy with clear be pleased to know that the children of Our Lady of targets to ensure that we protect, restore and expand our Victories Primary School in Putney have been writing woodlands and trees. New clause 25 sets out what targets to me about the issue under debate this afternoon. Thirty these should consist of and I hope it will be supported members of year 6 wrote to me with lovely pictures all by the House. It will go some way towards rescuing the about the environment, and most of them said that the Bill, as will the other amendments that I will be supporting most important issue to them was the environment and today, along with my Labour colleagues, and I urge tackling climate change, so I know the eyes of those colleagues to support them to improve the Bill. children and children across the country are on us this afternoon as we debate this. Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) (Con): It is a I was on the Environment Bill Committee last November. pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Putney (Fleur We spent a long time discussing it line by line, with Anderson). I have sympathy with a lot of what she says many, many amendments, and this is the third time that about trees, but it is really important for the House to I have debated the Bill in the Chamber. I am very glad remember that it is also a matter of restoring marine that it is back. It is not missing in action—it is here conservation areas and wetlands.Many alternative habitats today—but I am disappointed because it could have offer better ways of capturing carbon than simply planting gone further. Despite all our work poring over the Bill new trees, so we must focus on the full range of habitats and all the evidence submitted by civil society groups, and not just on one aspect, however important trees we see a Bill before us that will still fail to tackle the are—and I will be talking later, if I catch your eye, climate and ecological emergency. I am worried that it is Madam Deputy Speaker, about deforestation. just warm words without the back-up of a really strong For this section of the debate, I want to talk about Office for Environmental Protection, whose remit and why I tabled new clause 4. I welcome the Minister’s powers have been watered down since the Bill was last comments and I welcome the announcements from the before the House. past week. What the Secretary of State said last week is I will focus today particularly on trees. It is welcome enormously important if we are to start to reverse the that the Government have announced, in the past week, decline of species in this country. It is tragic: back in the the England trees action plan, but we now need strong 1950s, there were something like 30 million hedgehogs wording and a much more ambitious plan in this legislation in this country.Now, there are estimated to be 1.5 million. that will drive the action that is needed across Government, That is a catastrophic loss. When I was a child, hedgehogs the economy and society. In Putney, Roehampton and were around in the garden all the time. I have never, as Southfields, we love our trees and our green spaces and an adult, seen a hedgehog in my garden or anywhere we know that, across the country, trees are essential for near it. This is a tragic loss and one we have to work to climate reduction, meeting that net zero target, biodiversity reverse. and our mental health. However, the UK has one of the There is a whole range of reasons why that has lowest areas of tree coverage of any country in Europe. happened, including habitat loss and the loss of wildlife At current rates of planting, it will reach its own target corridors. It is enormously important, in looking at only by 2091, as was pointed out earlier by the shadow planning policies, that we focus on how we ensure we 417 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 418

[Chris Grayling] Nature is in decline; this is an issue globally. Despite the protections being put in place in the Bill, there is a maintain wildlife corridors. It is also about the protections stark decline in the UK too, as my right hon. Friend the available. As the Minister knows, I have had a lively Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) set out debate with the Department over the weeks. I welcome in relation to hedgehogs. I campaigned with colleagues the approach she has taken. I understand the shortcomings in the Conservative Environment Network to set a in the existing law, but the reality is that it is nonsense target in the Bill to halt species decline, as it matters to that the hedgehog, which has had a 95% decline in its my constituents and my family. The Secretary of State numbers, is not protected, whereas species that are listened, and the Bill will now include a legally binding much less in danger and whose numbers are recovering target for species abundance by 2013. This is a genuinely are protected. world-leading measure that shows real commitment to The existing law protects primarily against malicious our future generations, as it puts nature firmly as a action by human beings, but of course not all species priority across Government. It could be the net zero that are endangered have faced malicious action from equivalent for nature, and we need that. As I know from human beings. A hedgehog does not face that, particularly, knocking on thousands of doors over the years that but some other animals on the list, such as the lagoon even in places such as Gloucestershire there is still a lot sandworm, valuable though it may be, is not in my view to do to get people to understand what is needed to help facing direct malicious action from human beings either. the environment. Families are busy and stretched, and It faces threats to its habitat, and so do hedgehogs. We sometimes do not think there is anything they can do to have a situation today whereby if a developer is going to make change in their daily lives. I therefore applaud the clear a bit of land for development, he or she has to do fact that in such a wide-reaching Bill there is a determination exhaustive work to establish if newts are present. Much to include a local effort. as we love the great crested newt, which is a fine species, In Gloucestershire our Local Nature Partnership is it is not actually endangered in this country. We have already well advanced. I give credit to the board led by laws about it in this country because it is endangered Doug and Matt. The LNP has developed a national elsewhere in the European Union—happily not in the exemplar approach to nature capital mapping, which United Kingdom—but there is no obligation to see if will enable us locally to measure performance in future other species such as the hedgehog are present. Developers and identify opportunities for environmental investment can just bulldoze a hedgerow without checking if there locally.Wehave discovered that Stroud has a tree coverage are hedgehogs asleep in it. of 11% and we want to get to a target of 20%. This is all I would like to see a holistic approach to any new alongside an LNP commitment to create scale-led woodland development, where it is necessary to do a broader and to extensive tree planting to sequester carbon while assessment of the presence of species and take action providing many other benefits for wildlife and our accordingly to protect them, and not have a focus on wellbeing. I also give credit to groups such as Transition one individual animal as opposed to another. We have Stroud and our fantastic climate action nature groups too many species that have declined in numbers. Weshould throughout the district. I have spoken to the Minister be protecting them all. Of course, we will need to develop before about these community groups, who are dedicated in the future to ensure we have homes available for people to action on climate change. These local teams will soon in this country, but that needs to be done in a careful have legislation that is as ambitious for the planet as way: protecting wildlife corridors, protecting numbers, they are. and ensuring that the steps we take maximise the potential to retain, restore or develop habitats of our species. I cannot be on my feet without talking about my expert conservation friends at Slimbridge Wildfowl and I welcome very much what the Minister has said Wetlands Trust. I am supporting them in their proposals today about hedgehogs. I think everyone in this House to create 100,000 hectares of wetland to address the will welcome any measures we can take to protect them. climate, nature and wellbeing crisis. A blue recovery I pay particular tribute to the former MP for Plymouth, would achieve habitat creation to assist the Government’s Sutton and Devonport, Oliver Colvile, who was the first goals in this Bill and also in the 25-year environment champion of hedgehogs in this House. I hope we will all plan. Of course, 2020 was a tough year, but in the WWT be hedgehog champions going forward. We shall be we still saw some species bred for the first time on-site, holding the Minister’s feet to the fire to make sure her including kingfishers and a number of butterflies such Department delivers. as the brown hairstreak. WWT received £1.6 million from the Government’s green recovery challenge fund Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame ): We to help safeguard the south-west Somerset coast against should be going by video link to Mike Amesbury, but the effects of climate change, and we are restoring we shall come back to him. 130 hectares of habitat for wildlife. I should also mention that the skilled Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust received Siobhan Baillie (Stroud) (Con): I can boldly say that £250,000 to rebuild landscapes for nature’s recovery in Stroud is not only the best place to live according to a our beautiful county. national newspaper, but it is the most environmentally focused constituency in the country. The letters I receive I am concerned that we need more information to set from young people are frequently about the environment. out how our biodiversity targets are being met. We need Importantly, while politics and the news are often focused to make sure that farms are being supported to help on carbon targets, children lobby me about biodiversity their work on their land. I also share colleagues’ concerns and species. They are smart and we must listen to them. about the planning issues and whether that will undermine I look at my own baby daughter’s enthusiasm for small efforts. However,I thank the Minister and the Government creatures and nature, and I wonder what will be left by for this Bill. I do think it is positive and I encourage the time she is growing up. everybody to get behind this work. 419 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 420

Kenny MacAskill (East Lothian) (Alba): Obviously but equally it should not simply be a cash crop for my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkcaldy and wealthy landowners, as it was decades ago—a way for Cowdenbeath (Neale Hanvey) will be supporting this people to reduce their supertax or higher rates liability. Bill. It does not go as far or as fast as perhaps we would We have to take action to ensure that we have not only all wish, but it is what is before us, and given the scale, targets, but the powers to make them enforceable. As nature and urgency of the crisis we are facing, it deserves well as protecting the “third” and developing world, as our support. have to take powers here in Scotland to make sure that Even though this Bill is primarily English and Welsh, we play our part. we will be supporting it, and there are two good reasons for that. First, it is a global issue that this Bill and Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): The indeed other aspects of policy are seeking to address. time limit is now reduced to three minutes. I call Flick Climate change and the actions that are damaging our Drummond. biodiversity everywhere across the planet transcend all national borders and all national boundaries. It may be Mrs (Meon Valley) (Con): I know tragic and sadly ironic that many who have contributed the Bill is welcomed by many people in Meon Valley. It the least will suffer the worst, but the fact is that all of will help to secure the health of our environment and us will be harmed and all of us are required to act. biodiversity. I am in touch with local organisations such Secondly, there are issues that Scotland can learn from. as Hampshire CPRE and Winchester Action on Climate Although a legislative consent motion has been given Change, as well as our farmers, local councils and by the Scottish Government to move on some matters, community groups, who have all sent in their views to there are issues that the Scottish Government themselves me as the Bill has evolved. There is support for our could do with picking up on, and I will refer to those if I work across society. It is an important part of levelling have time. up that contributes to the future of us all. The action on Wesupporttheamendments,particularlyamendments26, peatlands taken under the Bill will protect about 10% of 27, 36 and 37, because we have to seek to expose those our land area and is very welcome, as is our commitment who are taking actions to fund and fuel this crisis, to tree planting. especially those who are based domestically. We are a In Meon Valley, the health of our chalk down land is global village. What we do in this country does affect of primary importance to agriculture and the environment. other places. Our carbon footprint is reducing, although While we are encouraging farmers to plant more trees we have to do much, much more. We can never forget and hedges, it is important—especially for small farmers— that it was in this country that industrialisation took off that we support the productivity and health of pasture and that it contributed greatly to the problems we face land through soil improvement and restoration. The Bill today. That is why there is a great deal of legitimacy in sets the framework for the development and introduction the calls from the undeveloped or developing world for of targets, and I am pleased to see the environmental this country and other developed nations to go further improvement plan mentions soil health and makes a and faster, rather than simply looking at them. commitment to achieve sustainable soil management by 2030. As I mentioned in a previous debate, 80% of our 3 pm soil is dead, so I am particularly interested in how we I listened to the hon. Member for Tiverton and can promote soil health, which is vital to farm productivity Honiton (Neil Parish) speaking about his amendments, and nature recovery generally. We have cut right back which I support. He rightly narrated the dangers and on pollutants we put into the ground, but there remains challenges in Brazil, with the effects of deforestation in more we can do to promote healthy soil. the Amazon basin. We need to act, because the points he made were quite correct. This is not simply about We must ensure that there is a plan for all five of the rogue ranchers in the Amazon rainforest; nor is it identified soil types to promote better health and recovery. simply about failures of action or complicit actions by Pasture land is a key component of this and is vital to leaders such as Bolsonaro; nor, even more whimsically, farmers across Meon Valley, with many finding that soil is it due to the love of young people—or indeed all can be regenerated through improved carbon capture, people—in this country and the USA for cheap burgers. water infiltration, soil fertility and nutrient cycling. It is a structural problem. It is about funding and They see an increase in biodiversity, and we need to finance for those who carry it out. It is not being done support them. In addition, healthier pasture lands lead by indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest, nor is it to lower fertiliser and pesticide use, which can in turn being done by individuals in isolation. It is not random, benefit the health of our rivers. isolated or individual in the main; it is planned, co-ordinated I welcome the clauses on water abstraction from and funded, and we in this country are complicit in rivers. I have two chalk stream rivers in my constituency: that. That is why we need to act. We need to make sure the River Meon and the start of the River Itchen. Chalk that we have the legislative powers not simply to monitor streams across the country are already in a shocking and scrutinise, but, more important, to take action state of health. The WWF report says that only 12 out against this. Only in that way will we address the issues of England’s 224 chalk streams are protected, and of the hon. Member correctly raised. This is about us those, only 15% are classed as adequately protected and playing our part here to support theirs there. meeting conservation objectives. I am pleased that both Scotland equally has lessons to learn. Although the rivers in my constituency are among the few protected, rhetoric has been good, and I fully support it, and but better management of pasture land will reduce the although targets have been set, and they are to be need for pesticides and fertilisers that run off to pollute welcomed, we must have constructive action too. Reference rivers. Through working alongside farmers and ensuring has been made to other parts of the UK, beyond pasture land and soil health are valued alongside woodland England and Wales, planting more trees. That is correct, and peatland, we can improve the health of our rivers 421 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 422

[Mrs Flick Drummond] climate. Despite being decades in the making, we no longer have decades to solve or tackle the challenges and our environment. There is a lot to welcome in this ahead of us. Bill, and I know that it is just the start to making our The 2020s must be the decade for decisive and bold environment better for everyone. action. For the UK to be a global climate leader, the steps we take here at home must align with climate Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) (Lab) [V]: My commitments overseas and vice versa. We must work constituency is home to beautiful countryside and collaboratively with our international partners and support woodlands, with picturesque walks that even Downing developing nations. There must be mutual reinforcing Street advisers and Select Committee witnesses have and climate must be a thread that weaves through all been known to enjoy. The bluebells in Houghall woods parts of government. If done correctly, this can act as a are particularly beautiful in April. catalyst for real advancement in health, wellbeing, security Whether it is water quality, habitat conservation or and prosperity at home and overseas. It can both free us air quality, I receive hundreds of emails from constituents and equip us with the tools we need now and in the on environmental issues. In Durham, we are proud of future to live better and healthier lives. the natural beauty of our county. We want to protect However, in the year when the UK hosts both the G7 and cherish it. Out of all the emails I have received on and COP26, we are far from reaching the necessary the Environment Bill, every single one without fail action we need. We are failing to meet 17 out of 20 UN argues that it simply does not go far enough. So far, this biodiversity targets. We are one of the most depleted Bill is largely full of half-measures and token gestures. countries in the world. Wildlife in Britain has been Like me, my constituents cannot understand why the seriously threatened over the past decade. Half our Government opposed our amendments on improving species are in decline and one in seven native British air quality and limiting the use of bee-killing pesticides species are at risk of extinction. We have seen flooding when the Bill was last debated. No doubt we will be increase in recent years, up by more than a quarter similarly frustrated if the Government vote down our across the UK compared with previous decades. Weknow common-sense amendments today. that, like health, the impact of climate breakdown is The Government need to face the reality of our current disproportionately felt by those who have contributed situation. We are in a climate and ecological emergency, to it the least, but rather than put us on a path to net the effects of which are already being seen in the UK zero by 2050 and build the solutions we need now to and across the world. We need firm and decisive action. protect the environment, delay, indecision, short-termism, Whether it is the social and economic recovery from the arrogance and recklessness are all on display from this covid-19 pandemic or agricultural regulations, every Government. This will aggravate and deepen the challenges, decision the Government make should consider the which will impact future generations. environmental impact and how we can best restore this This is the fourth time I have spoken on the Environment planet. Bill. The purpose is to debate and improve, not to It is widely accepted that, when it comes to tackling debate and stonewall. We need—and future generations the climate emergency, we cannot go far enough or fast deserve—a piece of legislation that is up to scratch to enough, yet everything the Government do lacks the meet our objectives and that acts as a launch pad for seriousness and urgency that the situation demands. reforms and progress for the era that must come next, so The WWF has said that that we can get the job done, not only to protect but to “the Bill does not achieve what has been promised: gold standard strengthen and advance our environment. legislation, showing global leadership”. In Wales, we see Labour showing how it is done, with Of course, we need an environmental Bill, but we need a Welsh Government forestry industrial recovery scheme, one that has teeth. an effective ban on fracking and the restoration of our There is nothing in the Bill to ban fracking. The peat bogs with a national peatlands action programme. world’s oceans are being disregarded while environmental We need bigger, bolder action to address this climate protections under the European Union framework have and ecological emergency right now. been replaced with flexible targets that could weaken the environmental standards we have been so proud of Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) for so long. It is becoming increasingly clear that the (Con): The Opposition Front-Bench spokesman, the hon. Government are avoiding committing to iron-clad Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke environmental protections in case they need to sell out Pollard), is a diligent and well-respected Member of British standards in future trade deals. Parliament, and we have worked together on many issues To finish, I cannot help but agree with my constituents’ in the past. Indeed, we have worked so well together belief that the Bill remains a missed opportunity. As the that I have often felt he might be more comfortable on newest supporter of the climate and ecological emergency this side of the House. However,earlier today,he described Bill, I urge the Government to introduce legislation the Bill as a “meh” Bill. I have been going through the that treats the climate emergency with the gravity it Bill, and I would like to draw all Members’ attention to requires and to launch a green industrial revolution that what this “meh” Bill actually delivers. places the environment at the heart of our economy and The Bill delivers targets for air quality, biodiversity, society. water,waste reduction and resource efficiency.It introduces an environmental improvement plan. It introduces Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab) [V]: The climate environmental principles embedded in our domestic and ecological crises are the gravest threats we face, and policy making. It creates an Office for Environmental no one, in no part of their lives or those of their Protection. It ensures that, under all new Bills containing children, is immune from the challenges we face due to environmental law, statements must be laid before 423 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 424

Parliament on how they will maintain environmental I welcome the requirement in the Bill for every local standards. It ensures that the Government must conduct authority to prepare a local nature recovery strategy a review every two years of significant and effective to address the specific challenges in their own local international environmental legislation to ensure that environments. That will help to co-ordinate all local we are leading the way internationally on the environment. policy and decision making with an environmental impact It extends producer responsibility to make producers by identifying and addressing the specific biodiversity pay 100% of the cost of disposable products. It creates challenges of individual areas. However, the Bill only powers to introduce new resource efficiency standards requires local authorities to “have regard to” the LNRS. for products to ensure better durability and recyclability. My amendment seeks to ensure that all local authorities And I could go on, and on. must take the local nature recovery strategy into account This is not a “meh” Bill. This is a transformative, when making decisions about planning or land use, as world-leading, exciting, ambitious Bill that is delivering well as spending decisions. not just for the British people but on our duty to future We have seen successful trials of local nature recovery generations and indeed, this planet. I represent a Scottish strategies in Buckinghamshire and other places. constituency, and the only thing I regret is that quite a Buckinghamshire, in particular, is the site of many lot of the provisions in the Bill will not affect my areas of vitally important woodland and chalk streams. constituents. I can only hope that the Scottish Government We know that local people are deeply concerned about go as far and as fast as this Government are proposing the degradation of those valuable natural assets and to do for the rest of the United Kingdom. support the development of strategies that can combat There is one area of the Bill that I think stands environmental decline. It is essential that local authorities out above all others, and that is the introduction of have the tools and powers that they need to be able to powers allowing the Government to set out mandatory protect their communities. requirements on larger businesses that use agricultural I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Ham House, commodities associated with wide-scale deforestation. a National Trust owned property in my constituency, Deforestation is one of the biggest threats to the health last Friday.The staff there talked me through the sustainable of this planet. Right now, one fifth of the Amazon management of their grounds, including the adaptations rainforest is emitting more carbon dioxide than it absorbs. that they have had to make to deal with climate change. That is a terrifying statistic: 20% of that major rainforest, The National Trust, as part of Greener UK, a coalition the lungs of the planet, is emitting more carbon dioxide of environmental charities, supports my amendment. than it is absorbing. Our proposals to ensure that we Like me, it recognises that the value of LNRSs can be sustainably source all products that might be used in realised only if they are properly applied to all aspects agriculture are essential in delivering on our commitment of decision making. to cut down on illegal deforestation, which accounts for This Government have a record of delaying decisive 95% of deforestation in the Amazon and other rainforests action in the face of a looming crisis. They have an around the world. opportunity with this Environment Bill to learn from This is a great Bill, and I know that, deep in his heart, their past mistakes and pursue a course of action that is the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport equal to the size of the challenge. None the less, the Bill welcomes it strongly. needs to be strengthened by my amendment if it is to make the difference that we need to see. 3.15 pm Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD): I shall be seeking Andy Carter (Warrington South) (Con): It is a pleasure to press my amendment 29 to a vote. to follow the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah I very much welcome this Environment Bill and Olney). many of the provisions that it makes. All over the The events of the past 12 months in particular have country, we are suffering from severe environmental shown us the advantages of getting out and exploring decline and degradation, and the results are visible in nature on our doorstep. It is crucial, as we build back every community.From the damage to our chalk streams greener from the pandemic, that we take advantage of to the decline in our native wildlife species, the evidence this opportunity to protect those green spaces and of the impact of modern life on our natural environment reflect on the world that we want to see for our children is irrefutable.Nobody can fail to understand the implications and their children. of this decline. I was very proud that this Government was elected A year or so ago, I attended a fascinating talk by the on the strongest ever manifesto for the environment, Kingston Beekeepers Association, which really enhanced and this Bill is critical to implementing that commitment. my understanding of the essential role that bees play in Central to this legislation is a commitment to leave the maintaining the healthy plant life on which our human environment in a better state than when we found it. species depends, yet bees are among the species most This is a world-leading measure that could be the net threatened by modern industry, agriculture and housing zero equivalent for nature. It is critical in our action to development. address biodiversity decline. It is clear to everyone that much more needs to be done to strengthen powers at national and local level I am particularly pleased to see the commitment to to prioritise the environment at every level of our tree planting in the Bill. I also welcome the introduction decision making. As the decisions that have the most of local nature recovery strategies, which will allow us impact on our environment are made by our local to map local assets and identify areas suitable for recovery. authorities, especially around planning, it is vital that Our changing climate is becoming associated with we enhance the powers that local government has to more extreme weather, higher risks of drought and an protect our environment. increase in flooding, which affected so many of the 425 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 426

[Andy Carter] I believe that the Government are resisting concrete, ambitious protections, so that our environment can be homes in my constituency in Sankey Bridges, in Heatley, used as a bargaining chip that would undercut Britain’s and in Dallam and Bewsey during Storm Christoph in environmental standards. January. The Minister was incredibly supportive and I hope that the Government will support the Opposition’s helpful during that time. Many local residents, though, amendments that seek to enhance the protections in the are still not back in their homes, and are unlikely to be Bill. We need the Government to publish a tree strategy so anytime soon. Will my hon. Friend look at what more for England, coupled with clear targets that would she could do to support those residents and Warrington drastically increase woodland coverage, to protect and Borough Council? I am very pleased that the Bill introduces maintain new and restored existing woodlands. New additional requirements on water companies, enabling clause 25 would ensure that the Government’s tree more resilient solutions. strategy was transparent about the protection, restoration Many of the environmental issues that we face have and expansion of trees and woodland. As the planting distinct local elements, and responding to challenges at of trees is a local issue as much as a global issue, will the a local level, in Warrington, not only allows for bespoke Minister commit to ring-fencing a significant proportion and more appropriate responses, but drives the potential of tree-planting grants of the £640 million Nature for for innovation. I want to mention air quality briefly. Climate fund for local authorities, so that they can Warrington has historically had some of the worst air plant trees at scale and play their part in tackling the quality in the north-west of England, because of its global crisis? location surrounded by motorways with high levels of We also need the species conservation strategies to congestion, and historically because of the location of a contribute to nature’s recovery. Amendment 46 would coal-fired power station at Fiddler’s Ferry. Now that help deliver that, and could ensure that effective strategies has closed, and the air quality is already improving. My are put in place to restore bees and other pollinator question to the Minister is, how can we leverage the species and protect them from harmful pesticides. Government’s nature target and commitment to improve Amendment 22 would require the Government to commit air quality, not only in Warrington but across the UK, to maintaining habitats that are secured under biodiversity and given our presidency of COP, set out an ambition gain in perpetuity, rather than the 30 years currently for a global improvement too? Finally, I welcome the specified in the Bill. These amendments would embed work being undertaken by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust sustained, forward-looking action in law to begin to to protect some of our most vulnerable habitats locally, reverse species decline and loss of species, and set nature particularly through its peat free campaign. on a path to recovery. The Bill will manage the impact of human activity on I look forward to hearing the Minister’sclosing remarks. the environment. It creates a more sustainable and resilient economy and, critically,it engages our constituents Robbie Moore (Keighley) (Con): It is a real privilege and local government to improve environmental outcomes. to once again speak in this place to express my support I very much look forward to supporting it. for the Environment Bill. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to serve on the Bill Committee and to see Rachel Hopkins (Luton South) (Lab): I want to speak all the hard work that has gone into this piece of to new clause 25, amendment 46 and amendment 22, legislation. I repeat my for all the work that she has done which would cement in legislation forward-looking in bringing forward this Bill. protections for trees, deforestation, species conservation All of us in this House will agree that the environment and biodiversity gain. is precious, and I care deeply about protecting and We are in a climate and ecological emergency. Many enhancing it for future generations. As the Minister will of my Luton South constituents have contacted me be well aware from my interactions with her, from deeply concerned about nature and biodiversity in the lobbying to stop the development of the Aire valley UK and across the world. The Bill was an opportunity incinerator to the recent granting of bathing water to embed ambitious environmental protections in law status on the River Wharfe in my constituency, I and and to kick-start a nature recovery ahead of COP26 many of my constituents across Keighley and Ilkley and the convention on biological diversity, COP15. care deeply about enhancing our environment. As I deliver this speech, two of my constituents, Patrick Godden The state of nature is very alarming. Wildlife in and Jack Hanson, are completing a walk from Ilkley to Britain is in freefall, with 44% of species in decline over Westminster to raise awareness and funds for the Ilkley the last 10 years. One in seven native British species are clean river campaign, a group that has campaigned now at risk of extinction. UK tree planting targets were hard to improve water quality in the River Wharfe. missed by over 50% in 2019-20, and across the world the Measures in the Bill such as the statutory duty on water World Wide Fund for Nature’s “Living Planet Report companies to develop sewage management plans and 2020” found that there had been an average 68% decline the changes to the water companies licensing process in the populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, will ensure that the River Wharfe and many other rivers reptiles and fish since 1970. up and down the country have better water quality and So instead of a radical plan that shows global leadership biodiversity and enhanced aquatic ecosystems, and I wholly in addressing the climate and nature crisis,the Government’s wholeheartedly approve of that. Bill dramatically falls short of what is needed. As the I am delighted that this Government are following Environmental Audit Committee stated, the draft Bill other countries in introducing conservation covenants. “is a missed opportunity for taking a holistic approach to environment The Government have acknowledged the important and climate change, placing them at the heart of Government role landowners can play in conservation efforts. The policy.” current system makes it difficult for legal obligations on 427 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 428 environmental protection to stay in place once land is have failed to safeguard this precious natural resource. sold or passed on, and conservation covenants will help. Some 80% of the UK’s 3 million hectares of peatland These long-term commitments will ensure positive are chronically damaged, with around 60% enjoying no opportunities for conservation are not missed, and the protection whatsoever. conservation covenants will introduce obligations to Warm words simply are not good enough; today’s improve conservation as long as public good will is votes provide us with an opportunity to prove we say there and will help restore the natural qualities of our what we mean in tackling the biodiversity crisis, so I call land. on the Government to put their money where their There are other great measures in this Bill, such as mouth is and join me in supporting these and many local nature recovery strategies; the Government have other amendments tabled today. recognised that local nature recovery must start at the local level, and that will make a huge difference locally.I would briefly like to mention my support for amendment 41 3.30 pm tabled by my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (North Norfolk) (Con): This is a landmark (Mrs Miller), a probing amendment which seeks to Bill, and I am hugely proud to support it. We quite include a provision for local planning authorities to be rightly talk a great deal about climate change, net zero able to take unlawful tree felling and lack of compliance and the world-leading targets we are setting, but specifically with restocking and enforcement orders by landowners what are we doing to protect nature and biodiversity? It into account when considering planning obligations. is a headline we hear less about, and it needs to sit Wehave an obligation to ensure that the next generation alongside our climate change agenda, because our duty inherits a healthier planet and the Environment Bill to protect habitats and species is as important as our goes a long way to achieving that. need to decarbonise. That is why I am delighted to back Government new clauses 21 and 22. Restoring nature Mick Whitley (Birkenhead) (Lab) [V]: I welcome the and committing to a legally binding target on species opportunity to speak once again on this important abundance by 2030 must be at the forefront of our piece of legislation and am thankful to the many agenda. This builds on our commitment at the Leaders’ constituents who have urged me to support the strongest Pledge for Nature in September 2020, where we were one possible protections for our natural world, as well as of the leading nations to commit to reversing biodiversity Cheshire Wildlife Trust, which is such a powerful and loss by 2030. passionate advocate for nature across the Wirral and Through our recent Environmental Audit Committee Cheshire. work, it was shocking to learn that only 14% of our The UK is in the midst of an intense biodiversity rivers are considered to be in good ecological condition. crisis. In just 50 years, 41% of all species have declined, What must we be doing to our biodiversity in the with 15% brought to the brink of extinction. Most protection of nature? In a developed country in the worryingly of all, bees, which play such an important 21st century, we must do better, and now we will. We role by pollinating 70% of all the crops we eat, are have to put a stop to 50 years of decline in nature’s rich under existential threat; since 1900, 13 species have been habitats and pay heed to the Dasgupta review. lost with another 35 at risk. For instance, I am delighted to see that biodiversity Time and again the Prime Minister has promised net gain is to become a key component of the Town and bold and decisive action to tackle the existential threat Country Planning Act. This is very important in my of biodiversity loss and ecological crisis, but, as is so constituency, and I call on my local council, North often the case with this Government, the reality fails to Norfolk District Council, to get ahead of the game. It match the rhetoric: not only does this Bill fail to bring should be employing ecologists on its planning team to forward the measures that are badly needed to halt lead in early design and planning, to ensure that biodiversity ecological collapse, but it does not even maintain the and nature recovery are incorporated in the heart of comprehensive environmental protections that we had local planning and needs. As well as local and domestic as a member of the European Union. I am therefore issues, we have to lead on the world stage. The new very grateful to the hon. Members who have tabled clauses will ensure just that by aligning the commitments important amendments to this Bill, especially my hon. and international biodiversity targets that are to be Friend the Member for Newport West (Ruth Jones). negotiated in China later this year. I was especially glad to add my name to new clause 25, We know that it is people who have contributed to the which would commit the Government to publishing a destruction of nature, and it is people who will put it national tree strategy for England. England is one of back together again. Nowhere is there a finer example the least wooded countries in the western world, with of conservation in my constituency than the sterling just 13% of all land covered by woodland compared work of the North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust with an average of 44% in mainland Europe. Increasing volunteers and the Old Canal Company. I recently woodland has a vital role to play in tackling climate visited them to see their restoration work and improvement breakdown and promoting biodiversity, but fewer than of nature and biodiversity on the waterways that they 50% of the annual tree planting targets were met in have restored. It was quite breathtaking. It shows that 2020. That is simply not good enough. these new clauses, if followed, will make a real difference I also urge Members to join me in supporting new to nature. clause 24, which would enshrine vital protections for our peatlands into law and introduce a comprehensive Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD): We cannot continue to ban on the burning of heather on all upland peat. take nature for granted. This pandemic has highlighted Peatland plays a vital role not only in promoting biodiversity the importance of nature for our physical and mental but also as a natural carbon sink, yet the Government wellbeing. It has also exposed the inequalities that exist, 429 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 430

[Wera Hobhouse] would deter developers and other landowners from offering land for habitats. Furthermore, this amendment as so many families do not have close and easy access to would risk creating permanent obligations to maintain open green space. The UK is one of the most nature- particular types of habitat that may not be resilient to depleted countries in the world: 14 of 24 biodiversity future ecological or climate changes. indicators show long-term decline; 41 of the UK’s I thank my right hon. and learned Friend the Member species have declined, with 15 at risk of extinction; and for North East Hertfordshire (Sir Oliver Heald) for 0% of England’s waters are now classed as in good applauding our nature target, and totally agree that health, compared with 16% in 2016. international action is imperative so that we show that The Government have failed on nearly all the UK’s we are leading the way, particularly with the CBD. commitments on nature made in 2010. They have failed I turn to new clause 16. I can reassure my right hon. on the health of our rivers, lakes and streams. We must Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Theresa Villiers) take every opportunity to address the UK’s ecological that the Environment Bill lays the foundations for crisis without delay. We need a strategy for doubling environmental protection that will be supported by the nature. The Environment Bill is an opportunity to do Planning Bill. Our planning for the future White Paper just that, but it needs to be much stronger. As it stands, reiterates our strong commitment to biodiversity net the duty to use local nature recovery strategies is much gain. I also reassure her that in line with our manifesto too weak. I urge colleagues on both sides of the House commitment, existing policy for greenbelt protection to support amendment 29, which was tabled by my hon. will remain. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney). Amendment 29 would risk limiting the decision-making This amendment would give teeth to the local nature direction of public authorities with regard to local nature recovery strategies, because it ensures that biodiversity recovery strategies. It would be unreasonable for national will be embedded in all public authority decision making. bodies such as Network Rail or Highways England to Like climate action, biodiversity gains begin at home. be required to comply with many strategies. In fact, this Liberal Democrat councils across the country are fighting amendment could, perversely,result in lower environmental to do just that. ambition. There are very simple things that can help. In Bath and North East Somerset, for example, we have introduced My right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke a strategy whereby we just do not mow grass verges in (Mrs Miller) rightly brings the issue of illegal tree order to allow flowers and blooms to spread. Local felling into this debate through amendment 41. The Bill authorities are best placed to understand the needs of does provide a deterrent to the illegal felling of trees by their communities and landscapes, and we must give introducing unlimited fines and making tree restocking them the powers and resources they need to help the orders a local land charge. It will close a loophole raised UK to tackle its nature emergency. by so many Members, including my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Bob Seely). Rebecca Pow: I thank all hon. Members who have I turn to the tree strategy in particular and new tabled amendments. However, the shadow Secretary of clause 25. I am pleased to report to the House, as I have State, the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and already mentioned a number of times, that we launched Devonport (Luke Pollard), in his tirade at the beginning our trees action plan just last week, and that renders this seemed totally unaware of just how many measures this new clause completely unnecessary. Bill will introduce to look after and protect our environment, Let us turn now to hedgehogs, of course. I keenly the countryside and nature. It truly is a landmark Bill. I support the intention of new clause 4, which was tabled will give him some quotes from environmental non- by my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and governmental organisations just last week: Greener UK Ewell (Chris Grayling). Although I cannot accept the said this was a “watershed moment for nature”; the amendment, I hope that he is reassured by the commitments RSPB applauded us for taking this “ambitious step”; I made earlier. I fully reiterate his comments about the and Countryside Link called this importance of habitats. My hon. Friend the Member “a tremendously important milestone toward world-leading for Stafford (Theo Clarke) also rightly raised the issue environmental law”. of hedgehogs. I think the shadow Secretary of State has been under New clause 2 would significantly reduce existing a stone like some rare species. I would like to drag him protections and remove the duty on decision makers to out into the light so that he is able to appreciate what we reject plans or projects that could harm protected sites. are doing, like so many colleagues here today who have all grasped it, including my hon. Friends the Members I must touch on the due diligence clause mentioned for Hertford and Stortford (Julie Marson), for North by so many people, including the hon. Members for Norfolk (Duncan Baker), for Rushcliffe (Ruth Edwards), Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy), for Blaydon (Liz Twist) for Derbyshire Dales (Miss Dines), for Truro and Falmouth and for St Albans (Daisy Cooper). The Environment (Cherilyn Mackrory), for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie), Bill will benefit nature not just abroad, but internationally. for Stroud (Siobhan Baillie), for Warrington South On amendments 26 and 27, I completely agree with (Andy Carter), for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton and Honiton (Andrew Bowie) and for Keighley (Robbie Moore). (Neil Parish)—happy birthday, by the way—that I do not have much time, but I am going to touch on deforestation must be tackled if we are to achieve our as many points raised in this debate as I can. I ask Members climate and biodiversity targets, and legality is at the please to come and see me if I have not managed to heart of our requirements. address their points. I turn first to amendment 22, In conclusion, new clauses 21 and 22 introduce powers which is in the name of the hon. Member for Newport that will restore protected sites to good condition and West (Ruth Jones). Setting a minimum duration in law they are critical for the Government. This Government 431 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 432 are clear about their commitments on the environment, (g) hectares of Long Established Woodlands undergoing and I hope I have been able to assuage the concerns of restoration. all Members who have tabled amendments today. (4) The Tree Strategy for England must set out— Question put and agreed to. (a) locations of additional planting of 30,000 hectares of woodland in the UK each year, as set out in the New clause 21 accordingly read a Second time, and England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024; added to the Bill. (b) a plan for the maintenance of the trees and woodlands 3.40 pm planted under the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024; and Three hours having elapsed since the commencement of (c) which authorities or individuals are responsible for the proceedings on consideration, the proceedings were interrupted maintenance of the trees and woodlands planted (Programme Order, this day and 26 January). under the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024. The Deputy Speaker put forthwith the Questions necessary (5) The Government must publish— for the disposal of the business to be concluded at that (a) an annual statement on progress against the Tree Strategy time (Standing Order No. 83E). for England; and (b) any revisions of the Tree Strategy which may be necessary. New Clause 22 (6) The Government must publish a revised Tree Strategy for England within the period of 10 years beginning with the day on HABITATS REGULATIONS: POWER TO AMEND PART 6 which the strategy or its most recent revision was published.” ‘(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend Part 6 —(Ruth Jones.) of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 The aim of this new clause is to ensure that the Government (S.I. 2017/1012) (the “Habitats Regulations”) (assessment of prepares a tree strategy for England. It will ensure that the plans and projects) as they apply in relation to England. Government has to produce targets for the protection, restoration (2) In making regulations under this section the Secretary of and expansion of trees and woodland in England. State must have regard to the particular importance of furthering Brought up. the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill. (3) The Secretary of State may make regulations under this section only if satisfied that the regulations do not reduce the The House divided: Ayes 217, Noes 352. level of environmental protection provided by the Habitats Division No. 15] [3.43 pm Regulations. (4) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary AYES of State must lay before Parliament, and publish, a statement explaining why the Secretary of State is satisfied as mentioned in Abbott, rh Ms Diane Coyle, Neil subsection (3). Abrahams, Debbie Creasy, Stella Ali, Rushanara Cruddas, Jon (5) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary Ali, Tahir Cryer, John of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State Allin-Khan, Dr Rosena Cummins, Judith considers appropriate. Amesbury, Mike Cunningham, Alex (6) In this section “England” has the same meaning as in Anderson, Fleur Daby, Janet section (Habitats Regulations: power to amend general duties). Antoniazzi, Tonia Davey, rh Ed (7) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative Ashworth, rh Jonathan David, Wayne procedure.” —(Rebecca Pow.) Barker, Paula Davies, Geraint This new clause confers power to amend Part 6 of the Habitats Beckett, rh Margaret Davies-Jones, Alex Regulations. Begum, Apsana De Cordova, Marsha Brought up, and added to the Bill. Benn, rh Hilary Debbonaire, Thangam Betts, Mr Clive Dhesi, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Blake, Olivia Dodds, Anneliese New Clause 25 Blomfield, Paul Donaldson, rh Sir Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Doughty, Stephen DUTY TO PREPARE A TREE STRATEGY FOR ENGLAND Brennan, Kevin Dowd, Peter ‘(1) The Government must prepare a Tree Strategy for Brown, Ms Lyn Dromey, Jack England as set out in subsections (2), (3) and (4). Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Duffield, Rosie (2) The strategy must set out the Government’s vision, Bryant, Chris Eagle, Dame Angela objectives, priorities and policies for trees in England including Buck, Ms Karen Eagle, Maria individual trees, woodland and forestry, and set out other matters Burgon, Richard Efford, Clive with respect to the promotion of sustainable management of Butler, Dawn Elliott, Julie trees in these contexts. Byrne, Ian Elmore, Chris (3) The Tree Strategy for England must include the Government’s Byrne, rh Liam Eshalomi, Florence targets and interim targets with respect to— Cadbury, Ruth Esterson, Bill Campbell, rh Sir Alan Evans, Chris (a) the percentage of England under tree cover; Campbell, Mr Gregory Farron, Tim (b) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by Carden, Dan Farry, Stephen tree planting; Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Fletcher, Colleen (c) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by Chamberlain, Wendy Fovargue, Yvonne natural regeneration; Champion, Sarah Foxcroft, Vicky (d) the percentage of native woodland in favourable Charalambous, Bambos Foy, Mary Kelly ecological condition; Clark, Feryal Furniss, Gill (e) hectares of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites Cooper, Daisy Gardiner, Barry (PAWS) undergoing restoration; Cooper, Rosie Gill, Preet Kaur (f) the condition of the England’sLong Established Woodlands; Cooper, rh Yvette Girvan, Paul and Corbyn, rh Jeremy Glindon, Mary 433 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 434

Green, Kate Murray, James NOES Greenwood, Lilian Nandy, Lisa Adams, Nigel Costa, Alberto Greenwood, Margaret Nichols, Charlotte Afolami, Bim Courts, Robert Griffith, Nia Norris, Alex Afriyie, Adam Coutinho, Claire Gwynne, Andrew Olney, Sarah Ahmad Khan, Imran Cox, rh Sir Geoffrey Haigh, Louise Onwurah, Chi Aiken, Nickie Crabb, rh Stephen Hamilton, Fabian Oppong-Asare, Abena Aldous, Peter Crosbie, Virginia Hanvey, Neale Osamor, Kate Allan, Lucy Crouch, Tracey Hardy, Emma Osborne, Kate Amess, Sir David Daly, James Harman, rh Ms Harriet Owatemi, Taiwo Anderson, Lee Davies, David T. C. Harris, Carolyn Owen, Sarah Anderson, Stuart Davies, Gareth Hayes, Helen Paisley, Ian Andrew, rh Stuart Davies, Dr James Healey, rh John Peacock, Stephanie Ansell, Caroline Davies, Mims Hendrick, Sir Mark Pennycook, Matthew Argar, Edward Davies, Philip Hillier, Meg Perkins, Mr Toby Atherton, Sarah Davis, rh Mr David Hobhouse, Wera Phillips, Jess Atkins, Victoria Davison, Dehenna Hodge, rh Dame Margaret Phillipson, Bridget Bacon, Gareth Dinenage, Caroline Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Pollard, Luke Bacon, Mr Richard Dines, Miss Sarah Hollern, Kate Powell, Lucy Badenoch, Kemi Djanogly, Mr Jonathan Hopkins, Rachel Qureshi, Yasmin Bailey, Shaun Docherty, Leo Huq, Dr Rupa Rayner, rh Angela Baillie, Siobhan Donelan, Michelle Hussain, Imran Reed, , Duncan Dorries, Ms Nadine Jardine, Christine Rees, Christina Baker, Mr Steve Double, Steve Jarvis, Dan Reeves, Ellie Baldwin, Harriett Dowden, rh Oliver Johnson, rh Dame Diana Reeves, Rachel Barclay, rh Steve Doyle-Price, Jackie Johnson, Kim Reynolds, Jonathan Baron, Mr John Drax, Richard Jones, Darren Ribeiro-Addy, Bell Baynes, Simon Drummond, Mrs Flick Jones, Gerald Rimmer, Ms Marie Bell, Aaron Duddridge, James Jones, rh Mr Kevan Robinson, Gavin Benton, Scott Duguid, David Jones, Ruth Rodda, Matt Beresford, Sir Paul Duncan Smith, rh Sir Iain Jones, Sarah Russell-Moyle, Lloyd Berry, rh Jake Dunne, rh Philip Kane, Mike Shah, Naz Bhatti, Saqib Eastwood, Mark Keeley, Barbara Shannon, Jim Blackman, Bob Edwards, Ruth Kendall, Liz Sharma, Mr Virendra Blunt, Crispin Ellis, rh Michael Khan, Afzal Sheerman, Mr Barry Bone, Mr Peter Ellwood, rh Mr Tobias Kinnock, Stephen Siddiq, Tulip Bottomley, Sir Peter Elphicke, Mrs Natalie Kyle, Peter Slaughter, Andy Bowie, Andrew Eustice, rh George Lammy, rh Mr David Smith, Cat Bradley, Ben Evans, Dr Luke Lavery, Ian Smith, Jeff Bradley, rh Karen Evennett, rh Sir David Lewell-Buck, Mrs Emma Smith, Nick Brady, Sir Graham Everitt, Ben Lewis, Clive Smyth, Karin Braverman, rh Suella Fabricant, Michael Lloyd, Tony Sobel, Alex Brereton, Jack Farris, Laura Lockhart, Carla Spellar, rh John Bridgen, Andrew Fell, Simon Long Bailey, Rebecca Starmer, rh Keir Brine, Steve Fletcher, Katherine Lucas, Caroline Stevens, Jo Bristow, Paul Fletcher, Mark Lynch, Holly Stone, Jamie Britcliffe, Sara Fletcher, Nick MacAskill, Kenny Streeting, Wes Brokenshire, rh James Ford, Vicky Madders, Justin Sultana, Zarah Browne, Anthony Foster, Kevin Mahmood, Mr Khalid Tarry, Sam Bruce, Fiona Fox, rh Dr Liam Mahmood, Shabana Thomas, Gareth Buchan, Felicity Francois, rh Mr Mark Malhotra, Seema Thomas-Symonds, rh Nick Buckland, rh Robert Frazer, rh Lucy Maskell, Rachael Thornberry, rh Emily Burghart, Alex Freeman, George Matheson, Christian Timms, rh Stephen Burns, rh Conor Freer, Mike McCabe, Steve Trickett, Jon Butler, Rob Fuller, Richard McCarthy, Kerry Turner, Karl Cairns, rh Alun Fysh, Mr Marcus McDonagh, Siobhain Twigg, Derek Carter, Andy Gale, rh Sir Roger McDonald, Andy Vaz, rh Valerie Cartlidge, James Garnier, Mark McDonnell, rh John Cash, Sir William Ghani, Ms Nusrat McFadden, rh Mr Pat Webbe, Claudia Cates, Miriam Gibb, rh Nick McGinn, Conor West, Catherine Caulfield, Maria Gibson, Peter McGovern, Alison Western, Matt Whitehead, Dr Alan Chalk, Alex Gideon, Jo McKinnell, Catherine Chishti, Rehman Glen, John Whitley, Mick McMahon, Jim Churchill, Jo Goodwill, rh Mr Robert Whittome, Nadia McMorrin, Anna Clarke, Mr Simon Gove, rh Michael Wilson, Munira Mearns, Ian Clarke, Theo Graham, Richard Wilson, rh Sammy Miliband, rh Edward Clarke-Smith, Brendan Grant, Mrs Helen Mishra, Navendu Winter, Beth Clarkson, Chris Gray, James Moran, Layla Yasin, Mohammad Cleverly, rh James Grayling, rh Chris Morden, Jessica Zeichner, Daniel Clifton-Brown, Sir Geoffrey Green, Chris Morgan, Stephen Tellers for the Ayes: Coffey, rh Dr Thérèse Green, rh Damian Morris, Grahame Mark Tami and Colburn, Elliot Griffith, Andrew Murray, Ian Liz Twist Collins, Damian Griffiths, Kate 435 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 436

Grundy, James Mackinlay, Craig Scully, Paul Tomlinson, Michael Gullis, Jonathan Mackrory, Cherilyn Seely, Bob Tracey, Craig Halfon, rh Robert Maclean, Rachel Selous, Andrew Trevelyan, rh Anne-Marie Hall, Luke Mak, Alan Shapps, rh Grant Trott, Laura Hammond, Stephen Malthouse, Kit Sharma, rh Alok Truss, rh Elizabeth Hancock, rh Matt Mangnall, Anthony Shelbrooke, rh Alec Tugendhat, Tom Hands, rh Greg Marson, Julie Simmonds, David Vara, Shailesh Harper, rh Mr Mark May, rh Mrs Theresa Skidmore, rh Chris Vickers, Martin Harris, Rebecca Mayhew, Jerome Smith, Chloe Vickers, Matt Harrison, Trudy Maynard, Paul Smith, Greg Villiers, rh Theresa Hart, Sally-Ann McCartney, Karl Smith, Henry Wakeford, Christian Hart, rh Simon McPartland, Stephen Smith, rh Julian Walker, Mr Robin Hayes, rh Sir John McVey, rh Esther Smith, Royston Wallace, rh Mr Ben Heald, rh Sir Oliver Menzies, Mark Solloway, Amanda Wallis, Dr Jamie Heappey, James Merriman, Huw Spencer, Dr Ben Warburton, David Heaton-Harris, Chris Metcalfe, Stephen Spencer, rh Mark Warman, Matt Henderson, Gordon Millar, Robin Stafford, Alexander Watling, Giles Henry, Darren Miller, rh Mrs Maria Stephenson, Andrew Webb, Suzanne Higginbotham, Antony Milling, rh Amanda Stevenson, Jane Whately, Helen Hinds, rh Damian Mills, Nigel Stevenson, John Wheeler, Mrs Heather Hoare, Simon Mitchell, rh Mr Andrew Stewart, rh Bob Whittaker, Craig Holden, Mr Richard Mohindra, Mr Gagan Stewart, Iain Whittingdale, rh Mr John Hollinrake, Kevin Moore, Damien Streeter, Sir Gary Wiggin, Bill Hollobone, Mr Philip Moore, Robbie Stride, rh Mel Wild, James Holloway, Adam Mordaunt, rh Penny Stuart, Graham Williams, Craig Holmes, Paul Morris, Anne Marie Sturdy, Julian Williamson, rh Gavin Howell, John Morris, David Sunak, rh Rishi Wood, Mike Howell, Paul Morrissey, Joy Sunderland, James Wragg, Mr William Huddleston, Nigel Mortimer, Jill Swayne, rh Sir Desmond Wright, rh Jeremy Hudson, Dr Neil Morton, Wendy Syms, Sir Robert Young, Jacob Hughes, Eddie Mullan, Dr Kieran Thomas, Derek Zahawi, Nadhim Hunt, Jane Mumby-Croft, Holly Throup, Maggie Hunt, rh Jeremy Murray, Mrs Sheryll Timpson, Edward Tellers for the Noes: Hunt, Tom Murrison, rh Dr Andrew Tolhurst, Kelly Scott Mann and Javid, rh Sajid Neill, Sir Robert Tomlinson, Justin James Morris Jayawardena, Mr Ranil Nici, Lia Jenkin, Sir Bernard Nokes, rh Caroline Question accordingly negatived. Jenkinson, Mark Norman, rh Jesse Jenkyns, Andrea O’Brien, Neil The list of Members currently certified as eligible for a Jenrick, rh Robert Offord, Dr Matthew proxy vote, and of the Members nominated as their Johnson, rh Boris Opperman, Guy proxy, is published at the end of today’s debates. Johnson, Dr Caroline Parish, Neil Johnson, Gareth Patel, rh Priti Clause 95 Johnston, David Paterson, rh Mr Owen GENERAL DUTY TO CONSERVE AND ENHANCE Jones, Andrew Pawsey, Mark BIODIVERSITY Jones, rh Mr David Penning, rh Sir Mike Jones, Fay Penrose, John Amendment proposed: 29, page 97, line 1, leave out Jones, Mr Marcus Percy, Andrew subsection (5) and insert— Jupp, Simon Philp, Chris ‘(5) After subsection (2) insert— Kawczynski, Daniel Pincher, rh Christopher (2A) The authority must act in accordance with any relevant Kearns, Alicia Poulter, Dr Dan local nature recovery strategy in the exercise of relevant Keegan, Gillian Pow, Rebecca functions, including— Knight, rh Sir Greg Prentis, Victoria (a) land use planning and planning decisions; Knight, Julian Pritchard, rh Mark (b) spending decisions, including land management payments; Kruger, Danny Pursglove, Tom Kwarteng, rh Kwasi Quin, Jeremy (c) delivery of biodiversity gain; and Largan, Robert Quince, Will (d) any other activities undertaken in complying with Latham, Mrs Pauline Raab, rh Dominic subsections (1) and (1A).””—(Sarah Olney.) Leadsom, rh Andrea Randall, Tom This amendment would require public authorities to exercise Leigh, rh Sir Edward Redwood, rh John relevant functions in accordance with Local Nature Recovery Levy, Ian Rees-Mogg, rh Mr Jacob Strategies. This would ensure that decisions that affect the natural Lewer, Andrew Richards, Nicola environment such as planning decisions, net gain habitat Lewis, rh Brandon Richardson, Angela enhancements and targeted investment in environmental land management are informed by the Strategies. Lewis, rh Dr Julian Roberts, Rob Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Robertson, Mr Laurence Question put, That the amendment be made. Loder, Chris Robinson, Mary The House divided: Ayes 210, Noes 359. Logan, Mark Rosindell, Andrew Division No. 16] [3.53 pm Longhi, Marco Rowley, Lee AYES Lopez, Julia Russell, Dean Lopresti, Jack Rutley, David Abbott, rh Ms Diane Ali, Tahir Lord, Mr Jonathan Sambrook, Gary Abrahams, Debbie Allin-Khan, Dr Rosena Loughton, Tim Saxby, Selaine Ali, Rushanara Amesbury, Mike 437 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 438

Anderson, Fleur Griffith, Nia Olney, Sarah Smyth, Karin Antoniazzi, Tonia Gwynne, Andrew Onwurah, Chi Sobel, Alex Ashworth, rh Jonathan Haigh, Louise Oppong-Asare, Abena Spellar, rh John Barker, Paula Hamilton, Fabian Osamor, Kate Starmer, rh Keir Beckett, rh Margaret Hanvey, Neale Osborne, Kate Stevens, Jo Begum, Apsana Hardy, Emma Owatemi, Taiwo Stone, Jamie Benn, rh Hilary Harman, rh Ms Harriet Owen, Sarah Streeting, Wes Betts, Mr Clive Harris, Carolyn Peacock, Stephanie Sultana, Zarah Blake, Olivia Hayes, Helen Pennycook, Matthew Tami, rh Mark Blomfield, Paul Healey, rh John Perkins, Mr Toby Tarry, Sam Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Hendrick, Sir Mark Phillips, Jess Thomas, Gareth Brennan, Kevin Hillier, Meg Phillipson, Bridget Thomas-Symonds, rh Nick Brown, Ms Lyn Hobhouse, Wera Pollard, Luke Thornberry, rh Emily Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Hodge, rh Dame Margaret Powell, Lucy Timms, rh Stephen Bryant, Chris Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Qureshi, Yasmin Trickett, Jon Buck, Ms Karen Hollern, Kate Rayner, rh Angela Turner, Karl Burgon, Richard Hopkins, Rachel Reed, Steve Twigg, Derek Butler, Dawn Huq, Dr Rupa Rees, Christina Twist, Liz Byrne, Ian Hussain, Imran Reeves, Ellie Vaz, rh Valerie Byrne, rh Liam Jardine, Christine Reeves, Rachel Webbe, Claudia Cadbury, Ruth Jarvis, Dan Reynolds, Jonathan West, Catherine Campbell, rh Sir Alan Johnson, rh Dame Diana Ribeiro-Addy, Bell Western, Matt Carden, Dan Johnson, Kim Rimmer, Ms Marie Whitehead, Dr Alan Chamberlain, Wendy Jones, Darren Rodda, Matt Whitley, Mick Champion, Sarah Jones, Gerald Russell-Moyle, Lloyd Whittome, Nadia Jones, rh Mr Kevan Charalambous, Bambos Shah, Naz Wilson, Munira Jones, Ruth Sharma, Mr Virendra Clark, Feryal Winter, Beth Jones, Sarah Sheerman, Mr Barry Cooper, Daisy Yasin, Mohammad Kane, Mike Siddiq, Tulip Cooper, Rosie Zeichner, Daniel Keeley, Barbara Slaughter, Andy Cooper, rh Yvette Kendall, Liz Smith, Cat Tellers for the Ayes: Corbyn, rh Jeremy Khan, Afzal Smith, Jeff Mr Alistair Carmichael and Coyle, Neil Kinnock, Stephen Smith, Nick Tim Farron Creasy, Stella Kyle, Peter Cruddas, Jon Lammy, rh Mr David NOES Cryer, John Lavery, Ian Cummins, Judith Lewell-Buck, Mrs Emma Adams, Nigel Bottomley, Sir Peter Cunningham, Alex Lewis, Clive Afolami, Bim Bowie, Andrew Daby, Janet Lloyd, Tony Afriyie, Adam Bradley, Ben Davey, rh Ed Long Bailey, Rebecca Ahmad Khan, Imran Bradley, rh Karen David, Wayne Lucas, Caroline Aiken, Nickie Brady, Sir Graham Braverman, rh Suella Davies, Geraint Lynch, Holly Aldous, Peter Brereton, Jack Davies-Jones, Alex MacAskill, Kenny Allan, Lucy Bridgen, Andrew De Cordova, Marsha Madders, Justin Amess, Sir David Brine, Steve Debbonaire, Thangam Mahmood, Mr Khalid Anderson, Lee Bristow, Paul Mahmood, Shabana Anderson, Stuart Dhesi, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Britcliffe, Sara Dodds, Anneliese Malhotra, Seema Andrew, rh Stuart Maskell, Rachael Brokenshire, rh James Doughty, Stephen Ansell, Caroline Matheson, Christian Browne, Anthony Dowd, Peter Argar, Edward McCabe, Steve Bruce, Fiona Dromey, Jack Atherton, Sarah McCarthy, Kerry Buchan, Felicity Duffield, Rosie McDonagh, Siobhain Atkins, Victoria Buckland, rh Robert Eagle, Dame Angela McDonald, Andy Bacon, Gareth Burghart, Alex Eagle, Maria McDonnell, rh John Bacon, Mr Richard Burns, rh Conor Efford, Clive McFadden, rh Mr Pat Badenoch, Kemi Butler, Rob Elliott, Julie McGinn, Conor Bailey, Shaun Cairns, rh Alun Elmore, Chris McGovern, Alison Baillie, Siobhan Campbell, Mr Gregory Eshalomi, Florence McKinnell, Catherine Baker, Duncan Carter, Andy Esterson, Bill Cartlidge, James McMahon, Jim Baker, Mr Steve Evans, Chris McMorrin, Anna Cash, Sir William Baldwin, Harriett Farry, Stephen Mearns, Ian Cates, Miriam Barclay, rh Steve Fletcher, Colleen Miliband, rh Edward Caulfield, Maria Baron, Mr John Fovargue, Yvonne Mishra, Navendu Chalk, Alex Baynes, Simon Foxcroft, Vicky Moran, Layla Chishti, Rehman Foy, Mary Kelly Morden, Jessica Bell, Aaron Churchill, Jo Furniss, Gill Morgan, Stephen Benton, Scott Clarke, Mr Simon Gardiner, Barry Morris, Grahame Beresford, Sir Paul Clarke, Theo Gill, Preet Kaur Murray, Ian Berry, rh Jake Clarke-Smith, Brendan Glindon, Mary Murray, James Bhatti, Saqib Clarkson, Chris Green, Kate Nandy, Lisa Blackman, Bob Cleverly, rh James Greenwood, Lilian Nichols, Charlotte Blunt, Crispin Clifton-Brown, Sir Geoffrey Greenwood, Margaret Norris, Alex Bone, Mr Peter Coffey, rh Dr Thérèse 439 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 440

Colburn, Elliot Grayling, rh Chris Logan, Mark Richards, Nicola Collins, , Chris Longhi, Marco Richardson, Angela Costa, Alberto Green, rh Damian Lopez, Julia Roberts, Rob Courts, Robert Griffith, Andrew Lopresti, Jack Robertson, Mr Laurence Coutinho, Claire Griffiths, Kate Lord, Mr Jonathan Robinson, Gavin Cox, rh Sir Geoffrey Grundy, James Loughton, Tim Robinson, Mary Crabb, rh Stephen Gullis, Jonathan Mackinlay, Craig Rosindell, Andrew Crosbie, Virginia Halfon, rh Robert Mackrory, Cherilyn Rowley, Lee Crouch, Tracey Hall, Luke Maclean, Rachel Russell, Dean Daly, James Hammond, Stephen Rutley, David Mak, Alan Davies, David T. C. Hancock, rh Matt Sambrook, Gary Malthouse, Kit Davies, Gareth Hands, rh Greg Saxby, Selaine Mangnall, Anthony Davies, Dr James Harper, rh Mr Mark Scully, Paul Marson, Julie Davies, Mims Harris, Rebecca Seely, Bob Davies, Philip Harrison, Trudy May, rh Mrs Theresa Selous, Andrew Davis, rh Mr David Hart, Sally-Ann Mayhew, Jerome Shannon, Jim Davison, Dehenna Hart, rh Simon Maynard, Paul Shapps, rh Grant Dinenage, Caroline Hayes, rh Sir John McCartney, Karl Sharma, rh Alok Dines, Miss Sarah Heald, rh Sir Oliver McPartland, Stephen Shelbrooke, rh Alec Djanogly, Mr Jonathan Heappey, James McVey, rh Esther Simmonds, David Docherty, Leo Heaton-Harris, Chris Menzies, Mark Skidmore, rh Chris Donaldson, rh Sir Jeffrey M. Henderson, Gordon Merriman, Huw Smith, Chloe Donelan, Michelle Henry, Darren Metcalfe, Stephen Smith, Greg Dorries, Ms Nadine Higginbotham, Antony Millar, Robin Smith, Henry Double, Steve Hinds, rh Damian Miller, rh Mrs Maria Smith, rh Julian Hoare, Simon Dowden, rh Oliver Milling, rh Amanda Smith, Royston Holden, Mr Richard Doyle-Price, Jackie Mills, Nigel Solloway, Amanda Hollinrake, Kevin Drax, Richard Mitchell, rh Mr Andrew Spencer, Dr Ben Hollobone, Mr Philip Drummond, Mrs Flick Mohindra, Mr Gagan Spencer, rh Mark Holloway, Adam Moore, Damien Duddridge, James Holmes, Paul Stafford, Alexander Moore, Robbie Duguid, David Howell, John Stephenson, Andrew Mordaunt, rh Penny Duncan Smith, rh Sir Iain Howell, Paul Stevenson, Jane Morris, Anne Marie Dunne, rh Philip Huddleston, Nigel Stevenson, John Eastwood, Mark Hudson, Dr Neil Morris, David Stewart, rh Bob Edwards, Ruth Hughes, Eddie Morrissey, Joy Stewart, Iain Ellis, rh Michael Hunt, Jane Mortimer, Jill Streeter, Sir Gary Ellwood, rh Mr Tobias Hunt, rh Jeremy Morton, Wendy Stride, rh Mel Elphicke, Mrs Natalie Hunt, Tom Mullan, Dr Kieran Stuart, Graham Eustice, rh George Javid, rh Sajid Mumby-Croft, Holly Sturdy, Julian Evans, Dr Luke Jayawardena, Mr Ranil Murray, Mrs Sheryll Sunak, rh Rishi Evennett, rh Sir David Jenkin, Sir Bernard Murrison, rh Dr Andrew Sunderland, James Everitt, Ben Jenkinson, Mark Neill, Sir Robert Swayne, rh Sir Desmond Fabricant, Michael Jenkyns, Andrea Nici, Lia Syms, Sir Robert Farris, Laura Jenrick, rh Robert Nokes, rh Caroline Thomas, Derek Fell, Simon Johnson, rh Boris Norman, rh Jesse Throup, Maggie Johnson, Dr Caroline Fletcher, Katherine O’Brien, Neil Timpson, Edward Johnson, Gareth Fletcher, Mark Offord, Dr Matthew Tolhurst, Kelly Johnston, David Fletcher, Nick Opperman, Guy Tomlinson, Justin Jones, Andrew Ford, Vicky Tomlinson, Michael Jones, rh Mr David Paisley, Ian Foster, Kevin Jones, Fay Parish, Neil Tracey, Craig Fox, rh Dr Liam Jones, Mr Marcus Patel, rh Priti Trevelyan, rh Anne-Marie Francois, rh Mr Mark Jupp, Simon Paterson, rh Mr Owen Trott, Laura Frazer, rh Lucy Kawczynski, Daniel Pawsey, Mark Truss, rh Elizabeth Freeman, George Kearns, Alicia Penning, rh Sir Mike Tugendhat, Tom Freer, Mike Keegan, Gillian Penrose, John Vara, Shailesh Fuller, Richard Vickers, Martin Knight, rh Sir Greg Percy, Andrew Fysh, Mr Marcus Knight, Julian Vickers, Matt Philp, Chris Gale, rh Sir Roger Kruger, Danny Villiers, rh Theresa Pincher, rh Christopher Garnier, Mark Kwarteng, rh Kwasi Wakeford, Christian Poulter, Dr Dan Ghani, Ms Nusrat Largan, Robert Walker, Mr Robin Pow, Rebecca Gibb, rh Nick Latham, Mrs Pauline Wallace, rh Mr Ben Gibson, Peter Leadsom, rh Andrea Prentis, Victoria Wallis, Dr Jamie Gideon, Jo Leigh, rh Sir Edward Pritchard, rh Mark Warburton, David Girvan, Paul Levy, Ian Pursglove, Tom Warman, Matt Glen, John Lewer, Andrew Quin, Jeremy Watling, Giles Goodwill, rh Mr Robert Lewis, rh Brandon Quince, Will Webb, Suzanne Gove, rh Michael Lewis, rh Dr Julian Raab, rh Dominic Whately, Helen Graham, Richard Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Randall, Tom Wheeler, Mrs Heather Grant, Mrs Helen Lockhart, Carla Redwood, rh John Whittaker, Craig Gray, James Loder, Chris Rees-Mogg, rh Mr Jacob Whittingdale, rh Mr John 441 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 442

Wiggin, Bill Wright, rh Jeremy (a) protect the habitats of species listed internationally as Wild, James Young, Jacob endangered, Williams, Craig Zahawi, Nadhim (b) avoid biodiversity loss, Williamson, rh Gavin (c) avoid deforestation, and Wilson, rh Sammy Tellers for the Noes: (d) avoid significant increases in net carbon emissions. Wood, Mike James Morris and Wragg, Mr William Scott Mann (5) The scheme may make provision for— (a) enforcement, and (b) civil sanctions in relation to labelling and use of the Question accordingly negatived. kitemark. The list of Members currently certified as eligible for a (6) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative proxy vote, and of the Members nominated as their procedure. proxy, is published at the end of today’s debates. (7) Before making regulations under this Act, the Secretary of State must consult— New Clause 12 (a) the Scottish Ministers, (b) the Welsh Ministers, and WELL CONSENTS FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: (c) the Department of Agriculture, Environment and CESSATION OF ISSUE AND TERMINATION Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. “(1) No well consent which permits associated hydraulic (8) The Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a draft fracturing may be issued by the Oil and Gas Authority (‘OGA’). statutory instrument containing the proposed scheme before the (2) Sections 4A and 4B of the Petroleum Act 1998 (as inserted end of the period of one year beginning with the day this Act by section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015), are repealed. receives Royal Assent.” (3) Any well consent which has been issued by the OGA New clause 24—Prohibition on burning of peat in which— upland areas— (a) permits associated hydraulic fracturing, and “(1) A person must not burn specified vegetation on land in (b) is effective on the day on which this Act receives Royal England which is within an upland area on peat. Assent shall cease to be valid three months after this (2) In this section— Act receives Royal Assent. ‘specified vegetation’means heather,rough grass, bracken, (4) In this section— gorse or vaccinium, and ‘associated hydraulic fracturing’ means hydraulic ‘upland area’ means all the land shown coloured pink fracturing of shale or strata encased in shale on the map marked as ‘Map of Upland Area in which— England’ held by the Department for Environment, (a) is carried out in connection with the use of the relevant Food and Rural Affairs but does not include the well to search or bore for or get petroleum, and land coloured pink in the Isles of Scilly(a).” (b) involves, or is expected to involve, the injection of— The new clause extends the coverage of the peat burning ban from (i) more than 1,000 cubic metres of fluid at each stage, the 142,000 ha of upland peat currently covered to the full 355,000 or expected stage, of the hydraulic fracturing, or ha of upland peat in England. (ii) more than 10,000 cubic metres of fluid in total, or New clause 28—Labelling scheme for the informed (iii) acid intended to dissolve rock; purchase of environmentally sustainable food— and ‘well consent’ means a consent in writing of the OGA to “(1) The Secretary of State must by regulations make the commencement of drilling of a well.”—(Ruth Jones.) provision for a scheme requiring food manufacturers to label This new clause would prevent the Oil and Gas Authority from foods offered for sale in the United Kingdom to indicate the being able to provide licences for hydraulic fracturing, exploration environmental sustainability of their origins. or acidification, and would revoke current licences after a brief (2) The scheme in subsection (1) must make provision for a period to wind down activity. kitemark indicating the environmentally sustainable origins of a Brought up, and read the First time. food. (3) The kitemark may be applied to— Ruth Jones (Newport West) (Lab): I beg to move, (a) raw food commodities, That the clause be read a Second time. (b) processed food products, and Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): (c) the ingredients of processed food products. With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: (4) Food labelling under the scheme must include a declaration about food miles, which is defined as the distance travelled from New clause 19—Labelling scheme for the environmental the country, or in the case of domestically produced food the sustainability of food— region, of origin. “(1) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision (5) The declaration in subsection (4) must be given in words for a scheme requiring food manufacturers to label foods offered and numbers, but may also be presented using graphical forms or for sale in the United Kingdom to indicate the environmental symbols provided that the graphical forms or symbols meet the sustainability of their origins. following requirements— (2) That scheme must make provision for a kitemark (a) they are based on scientifically valid consumer research indicating the environmentally sustainable origins of a food. and do not mislead the consumer as referred to in (3) The kitemark may be applied to:— Article 7 of the retained Regulation (EU) No 1169/ 2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (a) raw food commodities, as amended in the Food (Amendment) (EU Exit) (b) processed food products, and Regulations 2019; (c) the ingredients of processed food products. (b) their development is the result of consultation with a (4) The definition of ‘environmentally sustainable origins’ wide range of stakeholder groups; under the scheme must incorporate an assessment of whether the (c) they aim to facilitate consumer understanding of the agricultural or manufacturing processes involved in the contribution or importance of the environmental production of a food— impact of the food; 443 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 444

(d) they are supported by scientifically valid evidence showing Weare in the middle of a climate and ecological emergency. that such forms of presentation are understood by the I know that the Minister knows it, and so do the people average consumer; of this country, but this climate emergency is no surprise (e) they are objective and non-discriminatory; and to any of us and did not start yesterday. That is why I (f) their application does not create obstacles to the free remain disappointed that the Tories have voted against movement of goods. every single Labour amendment in Committee and on (6) The scheme may recommend to food business operators day 1 on Report. I fear they will do the same today— the use of one or more additional forms of presentation of the although, of course, I am happy for the Minister to prove environmental indications that they consider as best fulfilling the me wrong. requirements laid down in paragraphs (a) to (f) of subsection (5). (7) The scheme may make provision for— Today has been a long time coming, and I know that many stakeholders, campaigners and people up and (a) enforcement, and down England will be pleased that we are finally here (b) civil sanctions in relation to labelling and use of the discussing the Environment Bill and looking to make it kitemark. fit for purpose. Many stakeholders and campaigners (8) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative will want to see less party politics and more environmental procedure. politics in this debate and throughout the Bill’s remaining (9) The Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a draft stages before it moves into the capable hands of our statutory instrument containing the proposed scheme before the colleagues in the other place. end of the period of one year beginning with the day this Act receives Royal Assent.” A person does not need to be a green-fingered disciple New clause 29—Review of public health effects— of Alan Titchmarsh or an animal-loving admirer of Sir “(1) The Secretary of State must review the public health David Attenborough to know that wildlife in Britain is effects of the provisions of this Act and lay a report of that on a downward spiral. We are in a period of crisis that review before the House of Commons within six months of the demands real action, not empty words. passing of this Act. (2) A review under this section must consider— Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab): I thank my hon. (a) the effects of the provisions of this Act on air pollutant Friend for all the work that she and her team do on levels across the UK, these issues. Does she agree that the Minister would do (b) the effects of the provisions of this Act on different well to look to Wales to see what a bold, ambitious and socioeconomic groups and population groups with committed Labour Government can do to protect the protected characteristics as defined by the 2010 environment and preserve our planet? Equality Act, (c) the effects of the provisions of this Act on life expectancy Ruth Jones: I do agree with my hon. Friend: Wales is and healthy life expectancy in the UK, and leading the way and I urge the Minister to seek meetings (d) the implications for the public finances of the public with the First Minister of Wales and his Environment health effects of the provisions of this Act.” Minister Lesley Griffiths as soon as possible, so that Before I call the shadow Minister, I should say that lessons can be learned and rolled over to England. there will be a four-minute time limit on Back-Bench As we heard in the previous debate, we have seen 44% contributions. of species decline over the past 10 years—and that was Ruth Jones: New clauses 12 and 24 were tabled in my on the Minister’s and her party’s watch. Now that we name and the names of my hon. Friends the Members have left the European Union, it is vital that we seek to for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard), maintain the highest of environmental standards. That for Cambridge (Daniel Zeichner), for Sheffield, Hallam is the approach that the shadow Secretary of State—my (Olivia Blake) and for North Tyneside (Mary Glindon)—all hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and members of the shadow DEFRA team—and with the Devonport—and my colleagues and I in the shadow support of colleagues, including my hon. Friend the DEFRA team have taken to this Bill, from Second Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West); Reading through to Committee and to today’s Report my right hon. Friend the Member for Hackney North and remaining stages. We have proposed fair, balanced and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott); my hon. Friends and necessary amendments, all of which were defeated the Members for Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan), for by this Government. Not one of them was partisan, Eltham (Clive Efford), for Feltham and Heston (Seema and not one of them was done to play games. All were Malhotra), for Brentford and Isleworth (Ruth Cadbury), done to make this Bill fit for purpose, and our new for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi), for Pontypridd (Alex clauses 12 and 24 do just that. They are balanced and Davies-Jones), for Neath (Christina Rees), for Oxford they are fair, and they reflect the will out there of those East (Anneliese Dodds), for Ealing, Southall (Mr Sharma), in communities across England who want an Environment for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) and for Bill that will preserve our planet and protect our Canterbury (Rosie Duffield); and my right hon. and environment. learned Friend the Member for Camberwell and Peckham That brings me on to another opportunity the (Ms Harman). That is to name but a few. Government have missed with this Bill. This Bill, this I give a massive vote of thanks to my hon. Friend the debate today and this moment were the Government’s Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead) for his chance to tell the fracking companies, “Your time is work on the early stages of the Bill and for all his work up”, but given the choice between doing something to challenge the outdated and unambitious approach of bold and doing nothing at all, we know what DEFRA this Government to the future of our planet. under this Secretary of State always goes for. Here we are, back in the House and back discussing My position and that of the shadow Secretary of the Environment Bill and, I hope, setting out a clear State and the Opposition is clear: fossil fuels need to plan to preserve our environment and protect our planet. stay in the ground. This is doubly true when we take 445 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 446

[Ruth Jones] The Government’s peat action plan came three years late.In the meantime, our peatlands have been continuously into account just how damaging fracking is for our burned and degraded, releasing approximately 10 million environment. When a third of England’s drinking supply tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. The is in the groundwater, do we really want to engage in a Government have committed to restoring 35,000 hectares risky industry that could poison it for good? Even more of peatland by 2025, which is great, but that is only one disturbingly, fracking is causing earthquakes of up to tenth of the 355,000 hectares that need to be restored in 2.9 on the Richter scale. England, and we have no clear targets for peatland In our recovery from covid, we need to focus on restoration after 2025. What is going to happen then? creating good green jobs for the future. Fracking is not The Government have committed to ban some peat green and it does not create jobs. According to the burning, but, again, it is not enough. All we get from this fracking company Cuadrilla’s licence application in Government are words and hot air, and we need cool, Lancashire, for example, just 11 jobs will be created focused and comprehensive action. Labour’s amendment across two sites—just 11. Labour MPs up and down the would prohibit the burning of peat of any depth in country are standing up for their areas in opposing this. upland areas. We cannot wait for action any longer. We I want to give a special mention to my hon. Friend the need a foolproof strategy to restore and protect this Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (Cat Smith), vital carbon sink. I hope the Minister will do the right who has done so much work in this area, and I commend thing and get her colleagues to do what so many out in her for all she does. Now is the time to join France, the real world want us to do, which is to provide action Germany, Ireland, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Scotland to stop burning peat. It is as simple as that. and, of course, Wales, and put this destructive industry Today, we have the chance to improve a weak Bill—a to bed once and for all. Bill that is lacking in ambition, in focus and in delivering a real and tangible plan to preserve our environment Chris Grayling: I would be grateful if the hon. Lady and protect our planet. I encourage the Minister to send clarified that. Clearly, I support the principle of our a message to the Secretary of State—I wonder where he leaving fossil fuels in the ground and not using them for is today, because this is supposed to be his landmark the future, but we are going to need natural gas for the Bill— and to the Government Whips and tell them that time being, albeit I hope that in time we can phase it the time has come to get real, to act and to deliver by out. The Germans are planning to bring it in by pipeline supporting Labour’s new clauses 12 and 24. There is no from Russia. We are currently bringing it in by tanker better way than by supporting us in the Lobby tonight from the middle east. What does she think is the best to show that this Government are finally willing to act, source of natural gas for the coming years, while we still to get real, and to deliver on their rhetoric. The future need it? of our environment and the preservation of our planet demand no less. Ruth Jones: We are in a transition phase, and we need not just to look at natural gas, but to look forward to (Wokingham) (Con) [V]: I have declared renewables because that is where the future lies.Renewables my business interests in the Register of Members’Financial are the future. We know already, in this country, that Interests. there are certain days when no coal is being burned and There is much to welcome in the Government’s aims. some days when just renewables are being used. That is Like most MPs, I look forward to cleaner water and the future for the whole of the UK, not just England, cleaner air. It is right that we take more care of the and that is where the Opposition would want to be other species that we share our islands with, and I look seeing our future. I thank the right hon. Gentleman for forward to those greener and pleasanter lands having that intervention. more protection and more support. I also welcome the I encourage colleagues across the House to get behind idea that we should plant many more trees. However, at Labour’s new clause 12, which would ban fracking and this point in our deliberations, we should ask the Minister show we really are serious about tackling the environmental to give us a bit more background and information crisis that our country and our planet faces—a crisis about the costs of this transformation so that we can know this Government want to tackle with a 25-year environment that it is realistic and that it will be properly shared. plan. Talking about the Government’s25-year environment When we look at the legislation itself and at the plan, it feels as though the last few months have given us impact assessments, we see that there is very little by less of a plan for the next 25 years and more of an way of hard information about how much cost may be impression that it will take 25 years to develop a plan to entailed and who should primarily bear that. There are preserve our planet and protect our environment. This wide-ranging powers to introduce more waste charges, just is not good enough. While I do not doubt the Minister’s for example, but the statements in the impact materials personal commitment, I do wonder if Government say that an impact cannot be assessed and that it will Back Benchers really understand what is at stake here depend, in due course, on what actual charges are and what they need to do. brought in. When we look at the very expensive rules on I now want to move on to the issue of peat burning producer responsibility—taking more responsibility for and to speak to Labour’s new clause 24. I fully accept packaging, batteries, waste, electrical equipment and that soil does not always grab the headlines—it is not end-of-life vehicles—we are told that a partial cost of particularly sexy—but the impact that peat burning has the first item is about £1 billion a year, but there is no on our environment is profound, and that is why Labour information on the full cost and there is no information has tabled this new clause. I want to thank stakeholders, on the others. There is a bit of information on the cost such as Matt Browne at Wildlife and Countryside Link, on housebuilders for the habitat provisions, and there is for all the passionate campaigning on these important not a lot of worked-through financial information on issues. the deposit return scheme. 447 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 448

I think that there are ways forward where we can Australia—many very good things come from Australia— make sure both that we have a better environment and and dotted around the world for a while before the that we are earning more revenue from suitable and Scottish Government became the first to declare a climate sustainable exploitation of nature’s abundance. I hope emergency, closely followed by Wales. England caught that the Government will work hard on finding ways up a wee while later—aye ahint. that enable livelihoods to be increased and improved, just as we are also doing the right things by the environment. Chris Grayling: I will focus my remarks on the issues I Let us take the case of trees, for example. I do hope raise in new clause 19. We have talked about deforestation that, as we plant many more trees, there will be more this afternoon and I pay tribute to the Minister in sustainable forestry. I always thought it quite wrong particular, because she has been a driving force in that we import so much wood from across the Atlantic ensuring that the Bill takes significant steps on deforestation, to burn in the Drax power station, when surely we in effect making it illegal and much more challenging to should be looking for sustainable sources at home. It is bring the fruits of illegal deforestation to the United also quite wrong that we import so much of the timber Kingdom. That is absolutely right. The stronger the law that we need for our big house building projects, when, on that front, the better. again, this is a good climate for growing softwood. What the Bill does not do, and what it is difficult for Surely we can go about our task of finding sustainable any Government to do, is prevent the fruits of legal ways. We need to cut the wood miles and to have that deforestation arriving in the United Kingdom. Only sustainable forestry here, as well as having the beautiful now do we see the issues in Brazil, where the Bolsonaro and diverse trees in our landscape in suitable places Government are looking to pursue further legislative where the Government will offer their own taxpayer-based change that could lead to further deforestation in the financial support. Amazon—something none of us can afford to let happen. Let us hear a little more about the livelihoods and the Through the new clause and its underlying principle, opportunities. Let us show how we can have both a I am encouraging the Government to take a step that I beautiful countryside and a working countryside, so believe would make a real difference to those who seek that we can cut the wood miles and the food miles, legally to deforest in other parts of the world—to put ensure more buy-in from business and individuals to the power not in the hands of regulators, but in the hands these great aims of having a better natural environment of consumers. I passionately believe that if consumers because of the opportunities to do more at home, and aroundtheworldsaynototheconsequencesof deforestation, have that happy conjunction of success in business, itwillbemuchmoredifficultforGovernmentsorindividuals harnessing nature’s abundance and the beauty of nature’s to pursue deforestation, whether it is legal or illegal. abundance, while respecting all the other species that In this country, if I go to the supermarket and want share our islands with us. to know whether the product I am buying contains anything that has damaged forests, it is pretty difficult Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): We to tell. If I do not want to buy a product with palm oil now go to the SNP spokesperson, Deidre Brock. in it, I have to scrutinise the small print of the ingredients on the back to establish whether it contains palm oil. If 4.15 pm there is palm oil, it is even more difficult to work out Deidre Brock [V]: I will be brief, because as I have whether it comes from a sustainable source. Some aspects already laid out, this is almost entirely an English Bill, of our supply chains are invisible, such as whether the but I wanted to touch on new clause 12. soy meal fed to the animals whose meat we eat came The new clause is a good addition that the Government from a sustainable source or—much, much more likely— should welcome. Scotland banned fracking some time from an unsustainable source. We have to address that ago and Wales has made it very difficult to get the issue, and I think one of the ways to do that is to have a permissions needed. Adding a fracking ban to the Bill proper system of food labelling in this country that would complete the set, and we in the SNP certainly indicates whether a product comes from a sustainable support that, because when our neighbours keep trying source. to set their house on fire, we want to help them to stop. There is a lot of work taking place right now in the Fracking releases gas—at a greater input cost than private sector, by retailers and others, and in the academic other types of gas well, I might add—and not all the gas sector to look at how we would assess the sustainability is collected for commercial exploitation. Fracking is of a product. It is about not just the food we buy in a associated with a greater escape of gas to the atmosphere shop, but the ingredients that go into that food. I think than other forms of gas production, which in itself labelling should be placed on the sacks of soybean meal contributes to the climate crisis. The seismic effects may that go to feed pigs in our pig farms, as well as on the cross borders, of course, and the large amounts of road products that we buy in the shops, to indicate very traffic needed for frack wells gets in the way of other clearly to buyers and consumers when a product comes transport needs and themselves contribute to the climate from a carefully thought-out, sustainable source and chaos. It is in everyone’s interest to make sure that when it does not. Work is being done by big supermarkets, neighbouring countries do not frack the place up, but academics and some really innovative smaller food responsibilities for the licensing of oil and gas development companies to try to ensure that there is a good way of since the Scotland Act 2016 was passed rest with the tracking the sustainability of a food source. Scottish Government; the clause therefore impacts on In the end, what we cannot have is the wild west of devolved powers. food labelling. What we need is a coherent, single approach Finally, I want to correct a statement the shadow that enables a consumer, in an easily recognisable way, Secretary of State made earlier. He said that the UK to say, “I know that I can buy that in good conscience,” was the first country to declare a climate emergency. It or “I know that that’s a product that creates problems was not. The climate emergency petition started in for the environment.” The truth is that that label alone 449 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 450

[Chris Grayling] In addition, the assertion that fracking will lead to a jobs boom is simply not true. Cuadrilla’s application in will ensure that the buyer does not buy the product and Lancashire talked about starting just 11 jobs, and that is that it never appears and there is no market for it. My before we start looking at the jobs that would be put at request and message to the Secretary of State and the risk by fracking happening on the Lancashire coast, Minister—I will follow this up over the coming months—is because so many of our jobs on the Fylde coast are in please to follow the path of introducing a single system the tourism industry, and people are not keen to holiday of sustainable food labelling, sending the message to next to fracking wells. consumers,“You are empowered to make the right choices.” Most importantly, scientists agree that if we are to avoid dangerous levels of global warming, fossil fuels Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab): I want need to stay in the ground. With every application to address most of my remarks to new clause 12 and comes huge environmental concern. There is a risk of fracking, but before I turn to that specifically, I want to additional carbon emissions, as well as the understandable put on record my concerns about flooding, because we anxiety for local people about the impact of earth are in a climate and ecological emergency and we are tremors and water contamination. When will the Minister seeing increased instances of flooding. I have certainly listen and finally take action? Now is our chance, once witnessed that in my Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency, and for all, to tell the fracking companies that time’s up, and it concerns me that at the same time the Environment and to put the future of our planet and our communities Agency budget has been cut by a third and the fire and first. rescue service by a fifth. It is simply not enough to wring our hands while making these cuts, when we cannot respond to the flooding emergency, so I urge the Sir (Southend West) (Con): More pearls Minister to look again at these cuts and at investing in of wisdom for the Government to listen to. upland water management. I am delighted we have reached the Report stage of TheEnvironmentBillistheGovernment’sfirstopportunity this landmark Environment Bill, which examines our to bring in equivalent standards to those in the EU vital relationship with nature and how that affects wildlife regulations,so,frankly,if wecannotsecurestrongenvironmental generally. The Treasury-sponsored Dasgupta review on protections in this Bill, it certainly bodes ill for securing the economics of biodiversity calls for transformational workers’rights and workplace protections. New clause 12 change as our demands of nature outstrips its capacity would revoke current fracking licences and prevent the to supply for us. I am delighted with our Government’s Oil and Gas Authority from being able to provide future commitment to invest in new green industries to create licencesforhydraulicfracturing,explorationoracidification. jobs while protecting the environment, and I welcome Fracking is a big deal in Lancashire. When Cuadrilla the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan to achieve net zero started, in just two months 57 earthquakes were detected. carbon emissions by 2050, although we certainly need Cuadrilla stopped fracking five times because it triggered more charging points for electric vehicles in Southend. earthquakes bigger than the Government rules allowed. However, legislative changes need to be implemented Even more disturbingly, a year later, an earthquake urgently to ensure that our action towards the environment measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale led to a review by the and animals is responsible and sustainable. Oil and Gas Authority, which, worryingly, concluded Ultimately, if we damage the environment, we will that it was not possible to predict the probability or size destroy ecosystems that animals rely on. It is estimated of the tremors caused by fracking. that because of our activities over the past 200,000 My Lancashire constituents and, indeed, much of the years, the total amount of living matter on the planet country were relieved when the Government got around has actually decreased by 50%—shocking. As biomass to launching a moratorium halting fracking and exploration falls, so does biodiversity. We see large depletions in with immediate effect, but in the past two years the insect numbers and bulky oceanic fish such as tuna and Government have failed to deliver the legislation that is cod, and the conversion of natural habitats to agriculture. needed to give effect to their promise. If the Minister is Most wildlife hotspots are now down to small percentages not willing to support new clause 12 today, when will of their former ranges. that come? It was a relief that the Government got as I want to see our country leading on this issue. Our far as the moratorium almost two years ago, but we presidency of the COP26 summit in November will, I need something concrete—something solid—behind that. hope, spur urgent action throughout the world. We If the Minister is to assure my constituents that the Bill should review our international aid budget, and direct it is not just empty words, will she accept Labour’s new towards global habitat and biodiversity protection, which clause and legislate to ban fracking once and for all? unfortunately has recently fallen to below 0.5%. One We know from the Lancashire experiment on fracking way we can enhance domestic biodiversity and allow that it is a risky way of extracting dirty energy. We have nature to recover is to rewild our seas, uplands, peatlands, seen that France, Germany, Ireland, Bulgaria, New flood lands and coasts. We should ensure that at least York state and the Netherlands, as well as Scotland and 30% of our seas are no-activity marine conservation Wales, all agree, so this is our opportunity to bring zones. I certainly welcome the reintroduction of the England into line. There are so many risks surrounding beaver and I hope we will be able to reintroduce many fracking, and the Government know that or they would more species that were once native to England. not have called the moratorium in the first place. The The Bill, I believe, will be critical in setting out how British Geological Survey is very clear: farmers protect nature and the environment. Intensive “Groundwater may be potentially contaminated by extraction farming and industrial fishing practices are two of the of shale gas”. main drivers of biodiversity loss. I am sorry if that upsets In England, groundwater supplies a third of our drinking colleagues who have many farms in their constituencies, water. but factory farming is unsustainable as a system. It is 451 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 452 polluting our air and water, killing our wildlife, degrading The public health response to air pollution is to our soil, and altering our climate. We are out of balance protect people and the environment in ways that are with nature and our environment. That must change. socially inclusive and equitable globally and across multiple The natural world and the man-made world are closely generations. The Government must ensure that that linked, and therefore planning reforms should be legally happens through the Bill. Implementing my new clause’s implemented to enable nature’s recovery, strengthening review would demonstrate whether the Bill will reduce protections for sites designated for nature, and increasing exposure to hazardous air pollutants for people on low developer contributions to nature’srecovery.Our population incomes as much as it will for those on more affluent continues to grow at a fast pace, which puts pressure on incomes.It would signal the Government’sreal commitment our greenbelts and countryside. I hope the Government to protecting all our health and, importantly, it would will not allow more of our green and open land to be signal to Ella’s family that the Government are listening. covered by large-scale developments. In conclusion, it is so important that we approach the (South West Bedfordshire) (Con) [V]: challenge of building back better by creating a brighter While I welcome the measures in the Bill to standardise future with respect for our environment and other living the collection of plastic waste across all local authorities, beings with which we share our planet. We must think I remain very concerned at the continued increase in the sustainably about our health, the billions of sentient production of single-use plastic. Too much of this animals and the protection of our precious planet, as I plastic ends up as litter around our country and around am sure David Attenborough would agree. the world, harming human, animal and marine health. We must start to reduce the amount of single-use plastic Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) we make, as some of the projections for its continued (Lab) [V]: I will speak to new clause 29, in my name and production are truly alarming. that of my colleagues,which would compel the Environment We also need to massively improve our performance Secretary to assess the impacts of the Bill on air quality, on littering and fly-tipping. Part of the area in my how different population groups will be exposed to air constituency that a group of us cleared up litter from on pollutants and, subsequently,how that differential exposure Saturday as part of the Great British Spring Clean was will impact on their health. already covered in litter again by Sunday.As Lord Kirkham It is our exposure to health risks and hazards that said in the Queen’s Speech debate, determines our health status—how long we are going to “research suggests that we have few, if any, rivals for the unwanted live, and how long we are going to live in good health. title of ‘most littered country in the developed world’…It is The money, resources and power we have will determine soul-destroying and dangerous to humans and animals; it pollutes where and how we live. It will determine whether our the very air we breathe; it depresses and saps a nation’s morale.”— family’s home is on a busy road or motorway, or in a [Official Report, House of Lords, 17 May 2021; Vol. 812, c. 409.] leafy suburb. It will determine not only our risk of being We need more covert cameras to catch the culprits and involved in a road traffic accident but our exposure to more prosecutions, with greater fines, to act as a significant toxic emissions from traffic. The poorer someone is, the deterrent. Parents and schools need to do their bit to greater the likelihood that they will be exposed to pollutants deter the next generation from littering, which is not only at levels that are hazardous to their health. We also antisocial but criminal. know that, if someone is disabled, black, of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage or a single parent, they are more I am told by South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth likely to be poor. that we have, at times, continuous sewage discharge into the River Ouzel, which is a valuable wildlife corridor 4.30 pm through Leighton Buzzard. There are very low numbers Let us be clear: air pollution is bad for everyone. The of freshwater shrimps in the river, and a chemical 2016 Royal College of Physicians report “Every breath quality that was good in 2015 and 2016 was reported as we take” estimated that, every year, 40,000 people die a fail in 2019, according to the Environment Agency. prematurely as a result of the poor outdoor air quality Wewill therefore need to continue to strengthen legislation they are exposed to and that people on low incomes are on continuous sewage discharges. disproportionately affected. The health problems resulting While I warmly welcome the world-leading parts of from our exposure to air pollution have a high cost to this Bill to mandate larger businesses not to source health for those who suffer from illness and premature commodities from illegally deforested land, I am concerned death but also to our health services and to the economy. about commodities sourced from legally deforested land, In the UK, those costs are estimated to be more than and rainforests in particular. I would like to see a £20 billion every year. certification scheme, similar to the Fairtrade one, so For me, it is the human tragedies resulting from this that we can all be reassured that the food we are eating air pollution that strike home. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has not come to us at the expense of virgin rainforests. was nine years old when she died from an asthma attack. At her inquest, the coroner said that levels of Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): nitrogen dioxide near Ella’s home exceeded World Health No. 10 on the speakers’ list is not here, so we will go to Organisation and European Union guidelines. He added: Barry Gardiner. “there was a recognised failure to reduce the level of nitrogen dioxide…which possibly contributed to her death.” Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab) [V]: I am delighted The coroner concluded that Ella died of an asthma to support new clauses 12 and 24, tabled by my hon. attack contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution. Friend the Member for Newport West (Ruth Jones). It He said that “legally binding targets” based on WHO is vital to preserve our most effective carbon sinks. The guidelines are needed to reduce the number of deaths UK’s peatlands cover only 10% of our land, yet they from air pollution in the UK. store about 3 billion tonnes of carbon. Sadly, we have 453 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 454

[Barry Gardiner] overseas territories,for whose biodiversity we are responsible under the convention, and with a globally net positive degraded our peatlands to such an extent that only 20% outcome? are now in their natural state. Heather and grass burning regulations currently only cover upland peat in areas Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): As designated as SSSIs and special areas of conservation, there have been some withdrawals and some people so new clause 24 extends the ban on rotational burning have not turned up, I am unusually going to put the across all upland peat habitats. time limit up to five minutes. Burning vegetation on our most important natural sinks not only hinders our ability to meet our emissions Chris Loder (West Dorset) (Con): That is incredibly targets, but impedes our biodiversity and water quality kind, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I am extremely ambitions. Currently, only 40% of our peat is covered grateful. by the existing regulation. I support new clause 24 to In case Members of the House have forgotten, I should protect the full 355,000 hectares of upland peat in declare my interest: my family are farmers in my home England. constituency of West Dorset. I have had the privilege of I also support new clause 19, tabled by the right hon. speaking in every Reading of this Bill in the House so Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling). Land far, and I am extremely grateful again to the Under- conversion to agriculture for our high-meat, high-dairy Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural diets is a key driver of biodiversity loss. It is responsible Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane for 14% of global emissions and for 35 million tonnes of (Rebecca Pow), for the work that she has done and for how she continues to engage with Members from across CO2 in the UK alone. Tackling deforestation in UK company supply chains is therefore essential, and the the House on this very important Bill. new clause would introduce a labelling scheme so that To start with, there are a couple of things that I would consumers can be assured that the food they are eating like to remind the Minister about, in terms of particular is not a driver either of biodiversity decline or the climate issues in West Dorset that are incredibly important. The emergency. A35 between Bridport and Lyme Regis, specifically at The right hon. Member also spoke about new clause 12, Chideock, has the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide arguing that we should permit fracking in the UK as an anywhere in the United Kingdom. It is incredibly important interim fuel as we transition to a fully renewable energy to my constituents that we can take this Bill forward, system. The problem is that the interim is too short and and that the Minister can do all she can to make sure the return on investment demanded by the companies that we take those powers and act on dealing with that takes too long. That would mean that fracking companies very difficult issue. left us with stranded assets. Some would say that is Single-use plastics have been a continual frustration their problem, but when the Government have offered of mine. I have spoken to constituents on many occasions, the fracking industry the most generous tax reliefs and I feel that, when we walk into a supermarket, we see anywhere in the world and 75% capital allowances, it is shelves of plastic with food inside, rather than buying not their problem, but that of taxpayers. So fracking in food alone. This Bill makes important provisions to the UK should be prohibited and new clause 12 would deal with some of that. When we see that supermarkets do that. such as Tesco had a 2.2% increase in single-use plastics The Government have now accepted the need for a between 2017 and 2019, it proves that this issue is statutory target to halt the decline of nature by 2030, incredibly difficult and that we need to ensure that we and I welcome that, but the Minister must set out take the powers in this Bill and the subsequent Act to further details of the measures she proposes to deliver deal with it. on the targets and how implementation will be reported I also rise to speak in support of my new clause 28, to Parliament. The Minister will be aware of the work which is on food labelling, and specifically with a focus of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on food miles. I am tabling this amendment today on biodiversity indicators. Indicators can be used to aid because I think it is incredibly important that there is policy decisions, but the difficulty of setting appropriate complete transparency about the food that we buy. I baselines for reference and the ambiguity of biodiversity know that a lot of my friends from Camden and Islington targets are compounded by the differing sensitivity of are great fans of avocados, but being of a farmer’s son, I indicators to change over time. Indicators may be about prefer West Dorset sausage to avocados, and I would biomass, endangered species or trends of common species. rather get that meat from just round the corner, rather The ability to obfuscate about whether targets have than have avocados that have been flown thousands and been reached is too great, unless the Minister is specific thousands of miles across the world to be brought here. about the indicators that will be adopted, what the I am not here to speak in support of, or in opposition baselines are, how they will be measured and what their to, a particular meat agenda or a particular vegetarian implications are for policy development. or vegan agenda, but it is important that we see complete POST sets out how it is possible to pursue biodiversity transparency about what we buy, so that we as individuals targets that would have a positive outcome in the UK, and the consumers of the nation can make an informed but would offshore far greater negative biodiversity decision that prioritises the environmental needs that impacts to other countries. I ask the Minister to respond we all have. to the POST note on biodiversity indicators by setting The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food out which DEFRA will use to achieve which ends and and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for which targets it will use. Will she adopt a coherent Banbury (), at the conclusion of the global perspective to ensure that we achieve a reversal Third Reading of the Agriculture Bill, very kindly of the loss of biodiversity not just in the UK, but in the offered that the Government would undertake a 455 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 456 consultation into food labelling, and she said that that that the Welsh Government have now placed a moratorium would commence this year. I would be very grateful on the building of such incinerators, and again call on indeed if her colleague, the Minister here today, was the UK Government to follow suit. able to share some more details on that, because I am Wales has recognised that we have a climate emergency conscious that a substantial amount of time has passed that is an existential threat. The new Senedd now has a since then. Once we have that labelling in place, I believe Minister for Climate Change. I am especially proud that that we should then build on that. That labelling will we already have an ambitious national forest plan to indeed allow consumers to make the choice, along the enhance and create woodland habitat in a connected same lines that my right hon. Friend the Member for way across Wales. That will have a key role in replacing Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) outlined earlier, but fossil fuels, storing carbon, and helping us to cope with going forward I want that labelling to be expanded. I the effects of a changing climate. I applaud the Welsh also want it to clearly identify, for meat products, whether Government for committing to ban the use of single-use or not that meat has been humanely slaughtered, because plastic. The UK Government must also give this topic that is increasingly important in this country.In concluding the priority it needs if we are to save the planet. This my remarks, I should be extremely grateful to hear from requires a radical change of economic emphasis supporting the Minister on these points, and to see exactly what the creation of at least 1 million new green jobs. the Government will do in respect of my proposed new clause. While there are many aspects of this Bill that I welcome, it does not go far enough or fast enough to 4.45 pm ensure that future generations can enjoy the world and not suffer the consequences of our abuse and misuse of Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) (Lab): I was elected on our resources. the back of the greenest manifesto Labour had ever proposed. We understood the scale of the climate crisis Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): Jacob and set forward proposals to rapidly decarbonise our Young has withdrawn, so we go to Geraint Davies. economy by protecting precious natural resources. Representing the constituency of Cynon Valley, which lies in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons in south Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op) [V]: The Wales, I, along with my constituents, take great pride in world faces a catastrophic climate change crisis, yet this our natural environment, which we are determined to Bill falls very short, particularly at a time when we are protect. As Members of Parliament we are in an extremely the host of COP26 and should basically be taking on privileged position, and it is our duty to act on climate the leadership of the entire world. After all, global change for the sake of future generations. That is why I emissions are up by 60% since the Kyoto conference in am disappointed with this Bill. Now that we have left 1990, while global temperatures are up by 1.2° C on the the EU, it is essential that we set out in law certain 1850 base rate and will hit the 1.5° level by 2030 on the environmental protections, but the measures in the Bill current forecast, which will mean loss of land and major are not ambitious enough. Thankfully, others in the problems of migration, food loss and so on. Meanwhile, Chamber have proposed a more meaningful course of some 7 million people are dying every year from air action. Many of my friends and colleagues have tabled pollution caused by fossil fuel extraction and use. I am amendments and new clauses that I support. therefore very pleased that new clause 29 attempts to link human health with environmental health. After all, New clause 12 would end the deeply damaging practice on the latest figures, 64,000 people a year die from air of fracking, which can cause seismic activity, water pollution at a cost of £20 billion to our economy. contamination and ill health to local residents. The Welsh Government have blocked the process for more Of course, we know that air pollution was registered than five years, and I call on the UK Government to as the cause of death in the tragic case of Ella Kissi-Debrah. follow suit. In the prevention of death report that followed, the coroner recommended that we should enforce in law the New clause 24 would extend the Government’s peat World Health Organisation air pollution limits. Following burning ban to cover all upland peat in England. Peat a meeting I had with the Environment Secretary and plays a crucial role in naturally trapping and storing Ella’s mother, Rosamund, the Environment Secretary carbon, and is among the most valuable ecosystems on said that he would look again at that, and I hope he will earth. We need to be encouraging these habitats rather when the Bill comes back from the Lords. than allowing their destruction. The Welsh Government have again gone further, and last year laid out a five-year We know that air pollution is worse in poorer and plan for peatland restoration. In the south Wales valleys, more diverse communities, and according to the Max including in my constituency of Cynon Valley,540 hectares Planck Society, it increases the risk and level of death of peatland have been reintroduced, which will not only from coronavirus by around 12%. Other studies have create a vibrant habitat and trap carbon dioxide but been done by, for example, Harvard, showing that link. reduce the growing risk of forest fires. Dominic Cummings has just reminded us that coronavirus New clause 29 would go a long way towards addressing is airborne and that more emphasis needs to be put on the impact of the Bill on public health and, in particular, that, but we also need to place more emphasis on air air pollution, which is responsible for an estimated pollution. We know that the infection rate, as well as the 64,000 premature deaths annually in the UK. People death rate, is higher with air pollution. We therefore are starting to challenge this. I was proud to be involved need legally binding WHO limits. with the brilliant local campaign in my constituency Let me turn to fracking. Methane emissions are against waste incineration led by the Valleys For Tourism 80 times worse than carbon dioxide for global warming. Not Trash campaign. I am absolutely delighted that Given that and the fact that we know from satellite that campaign was successful. I am also extremely pleased photography that fracking is responsible for 5% fugitive 457 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 458

[Geraint Davies] processing the plastic for recycling. Producers in the UK pay very little by comparison with those in most emissions—in other words, 5% of the methane is leaked— other developed countries in Europe towards the cost of fracking is worse than coal for climate change and recycling their products, and therefore that cost is heavily should simply be banned. subsidised, if not entirely met in many places, by council We need more trees, not just to absorb but to store tax payers. So we should ask those who are making carbon by including them in infrastructure and construction these products that are then polluting our environment instead of concrete. If concrete were a country, it would to ensure that they are providing the facilities and be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the resources required to make that recycling happen in world. I am glad that, as my hon. Friend the Member reality. for Cynon Valley (Beth Winter) said, Wales is taking a On the wider impact on recycling systems, a number lead on this. In Wales, we have appointed a Minister for of Members welcomed consistency around local authority Climate Change, Julie James, who also represents Swansea recycling practices. We need to recognise that the sale of West. She will push forward plans for a national forest the recyclable elements of household waste already and using wood in building. In contrast, in the UK, most makes a significant contribution to the cost of household of the hardwood is burned, causing not just climate waste collections; it affects all our constituents, although change but harmful pollution. Hardwood should be there are different systems in use around the country. pulped and put into insulation in construction instead. We need to ensure that programmes such as deposit Brexit means that we have more food miles. We need return schemes do not hit council tax payers by removing an initiative in COP26 to put carbon pricing into trade. so much of the recyclable material from household China, for example, now generates 28% of global carbon waste collections that a significant increase in council emissions, with more emissions per head than Britain. tax is needed to subsidise that difference. We need to We therefore need a joined-up approach, led by the Bill, make sure that when that guidance is issued to local that includes trade, transport, health, local government, authorities it reflects the discharge of their responsibilities planning and housing, not just a DEFRA-led effort, on the ground. which will make little difference to the massive problems I very much support the point made by a number of we face. Members that we need to look at the whole picture for In summary, we need much more, much sooner from all kinds of goods and services so that we recognise the all our Departments. We need to improve the Bill wider environmental impact, including the impact that dramatically to make a real difference and take global might happen elsewhere. We are simply kidding ourselves leadership. and our constituents if we are offshoring pollution rather than dealing with it directly by ensuring that David Simmonds (Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) what we do in our behaviour and the way we deliver (Con) [V]: I draw the House’s attention to my entry in services is reducing the environmental impact. the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I am a I finally want to touch on a couple of issues that serving local councillor and a vice-president of the Local impact in particular on the natural environment and Government Association, which I will reference during biodiversity. I very much welcome the work my right my contribution. hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Philip Dunne) There are many things to be welcomed in the Bill. has done in strengthening and making more robust the The first, which is particularly important to my constituents, policy on sewage discharge. The River Colne, a beauty is that we will see some improvement in air quality as a spot that abuts my constituency and is very popular result of the measures in it. It is clear that, in many respects, with my constituents, is significantly affected by sewage legislation is the start, not the finish of a process. discharge. Again, we need to ensure that there are Different Departments will issue a great deal of guidance effective measures that make a substantial difference. to local authorities and other bodies to set out the mechanics On biodiversity net gain, I simply make a request to of how the powers will be used and improvements Ministers that when the guidance is issued about how brought about. that will be managed through the planning process, we On air quality, I particularly highlight the need to ensure as far as possible that biodiversity gain through ensure that local authorities and any others who are planning is maintained locally,so that the local communities charged with responsibility for implementing the measures, that see the impact of the developments in their area achieving the targets and delivering the plans have also see the benefit of the biodiversity gain envisaged meaningful powers that enable them to tackle sources through the planning system. of air pollution. In the context of London, where my Lee Rowley (North East Derbyshire) (Con): I rise to constituency is—the capital, which has busy and congested speak on fracking, an issue close to my constituents’ roads—we need to ensure that local authorities have hearts and mine, and to reject clearly the unnecessary effective powers at their disposal to tackle issues such as and transparently political new clause 12. Since I was vehicle idling, which contributes so much to air pollution, elected to this place in 2017, I have spoken out against especially near schools, hospitals and other places where fracking, held debates, proposed Bills, submitted questions, vulnerable people are placed at risk. chaired an all-party group, spoken at planning committees Let me move on to plastics. I pay tribute to my hon. and hearings and appeals against QCs, and generally Friend the Member for West Dorset (Chris Loder), who made a nuisance of myself to the Government Front has been very active in bringing issues around plastics Bench about fracking, because I wanted it stopped at to the Government’s attention throughout the debates Marsh Lane and in North East Derbyshire, and I make on the Bill. It is particularly important that local authorities no apologies for that. I was delighted when the Government ensure that in the provisions for producer responsibility, put a moratorium on fracking, and I am glad to have sufficient funding finds its way to those who will then be played a very small role in getting us to that place. 459 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 460

Yet suddenly, a year and a half after the moratorium Claudia Webbe (Leicester East) (Ind) [V]: With the was imposed, we have a burning issue—a problem so highest-ever temperatures recorded in the Arctic circle, acute that a series of straw men have been wheeled out and with just 3% of the world’s ecosystems remaining from the Opposition Benches over the course of this intact, we cannot delay taking radical action to save our debate, creating the need to ban something that is planet and future generations, yet this Environment Bill effectively dead already. The hon. Member for Lancaster does not go nearly far enough to tackle the climate and and Fleetwood (Cat Smith), who is not in her place at ecological emergency. present, said we only have empty words. Well, empty As we emerge from the pandemic, we must raise our words have a funny way of stopping any fracking happening ambition to forge a new social settlement, a green new since that moratorium in late 2017, and of ensuring that deal, to rebuild the country with a more just and licences in her own county were partially handed back sustainable economy. We must fight for a society in by the operator of the fracking area. which public health always, always comes before private Why is it that 49 Labour MPs have suddenly decided profit, and it must be the big polluters and corporate that there is new urgency to legislate on this matter? giants who bear the costs, not ordinary people. It is vital There is not. We know there is no urgency, precisely that those responsible for climate chaos—the fossil-fuel because those 49 Labour MPs have shown almost zero companies and big polluters—are held responsible for interest in that issue in recent times. Forty-three of their actions. those 49 were in Parliament between 2017 and 2019. Fracking is bad for people and the environment; Where were those hon. Members when the all-party therefore we must ban it. It is vital that the protection of parliamentary group on fracking, which I chaired, talked all workers and communities is guaranteed during the about all these issues in extraordinary detail? transition to a carbon-free, renewable-energies future. As we rebuild our economy from the ruins of a pandemic, 5 pm it is possible for the Government to create 1 million Where were any of those hon. Members in the last green jobs with a programme of investment in renewable debate held in this place on fracking, on 28 September energy, flood defences and a resilient health and care 2020, called by a Conservative, when the Minister said service. that The coronavirus crisis has demonstrated the need for “fracking will not be taken forward in England” communities like Leicester to have access to clean air, and that we should green spaces, streets for people and interconnectivity. “accept victory”?—[Official Report, 28 September 2020; Vol. 681, That is why we must also introduce full-fibre broadband c. 133-34.] free at the point of use, a mass house insulation programme, How have they been using this place since the moratorium and a green, integrated public transport system. announcement in late 2017, if they think it is so deficient, Air pollution has reached dangerous levels under this and is now so clearly burnt in the depths of their souls? Government, with 60% of people in England now breathing I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of illegally poor air. Many of my constituents have contacted times that any of those 49 people have spoken about me regarding the need for a stronger environmental Bill fracking in this Chamber or in Westminster Hall since for clean air in Leicester. The Government must enshrine that point. the World Health Organisation’s guideline for damaging Let us be clear about what the amendment is. It is not particulates known as PM2.5 in law via the Environment a thoughtful, careful proposal that seeks to resolve an Bill. Currently the Bill falls short and merely commits urgent issue. It does not solve a burning problem that to setting a new, unspecified target by 2022. Our current burns up and down the land. The placards are not waving legal limit for PM2.5 is twice as high as the World Health high for Government intervention. Nor does it necessarily, Organisation recommends. I urge the Government to technically, fix the problem before us. The definition put adopt a clear legal commitment to reduce these particulates, forward by the Opposition would not have stopped any which, as we know, contributed to more than 4 million of the three fracks that have occurred since 2011. deaths in 2016. Those of us who were involved in the campaign in the WithoutmuchmoreambitiousGovernmentintervention, previous Parliament do not need the Labour Front the urgent action required to preserve a habitable planet Bench trying to hijack and politicise the issue once will be too slow. This will cause unmanageable ecological again, when it has been solved. We do not need the disruption and could cost millions of lives—most sharply pretence that those who signed the amendment actually in countries of the global south, which have contributed care about the issue, when they were nowhere to be seen the least to climate change. To ensure a global green when it mattered, when we were actually trying to stop new deal, our Government must strongly consider the this industry.It is almost as though, when the Opposition cancellation of global south debt to enable investment run out of amendments to table, they just pull out an in public health. The UK must also end international old favourite and see which Bill they can attach it to. fossil fuel finance and rapidly step up financial support Fracking is over. The battle is won. The industry has for a just global energy transition. packed up.It is done.And I will not support an amendment The upcoming COP26 in Glasgow provides a crucial that pretends otherwise, to a Bill that has nothing to do opportunity to reset our relationship to climate justice, with energy, which will cause unnecessary worry to yet the conference risks excluding representatives from constituents who have been worried about it for many countries that are most at risk from climate breakdown. years, and which is clearly a shoddy attempt to play Every possible step must be taken to ensure that COP26 political games. is accessible for all and that it is a turning point for The shadow Minister opened her remarks by saying more radical climate action. While we recover from the that she hoped to make this issue less party political. Great. pandemic, a green ambition must be hard-wired into Stop playing political games. Reject the amendment. everything we do as we rebuild our economy. To achieve 461 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 462

[Claudia Webbe] important. The carrier bag scheme run by the Government here and all the regional Governments was exceptional this, the Government must raise their ambitions, seriously and it has done great stuff. It brought in a revenue fund rewrite the Environment Bill, work with the Opposition that could then be used for different projects across the and begin to act on the scale that the climate crisis whole area. demands. I have a genuine request to make, on behalf of constituents who have spoken to me, for a scheme for Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): the use of single-use nappies. I bring this request forward Nos. 17, 19, 20 and 21 on the list have withdrawn, so we because of the figures, which show that around 3 billion go straight to the final speaker from the Back Benches: single-use nappies are thrown away annually in the UK, Jim Shannon. costing local authorities some £60 million per year. I have three grandchildren under the age of two, so Jim Shannon: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. perhaps my two daughters-in-law are in that category. It is not often that four speakers ahead of me drop out; As we know, the vast amounts of raw materials used for does that mean that I have 20 minutes to speak? I know production and disposal means that the life-cycle of a the answer to that—you don’t have to tell me. nappy can generate as much CO2 as 15,000 plastic bags I am really pleased to speak on a matter of such and around half a tree in fluff pulp per child. importance. We have to get this right from the outset. I I bring this request forward because reusable nappies welcome the commitment of the Minister and the use 98% fewer raw materials and generate 99% less Government to the Bill. I was extremely pleased to see waste. They deliver savings of more than £1,000 for enhanced measures in the Queen’s Speech, as anything parents. My local council back home, Ards and North that we can do to enhance the impact of the Bill is Down Borough Council, brought in a pilot scheme. Is it welcome. possible that by providing starter packs to parents, we We have a responsibility to the generations that follow may be able to encourage those who are able to do so to to be the gatekeepers—to instil in them a passion for take up this way of helping the environment? We could our environment and a duty to be the best we can, even use this legislation to encourage the Government, the if it means that life is a little bit tougher. Whether our regional Governments and others to provide the funding rubbish sorting takes longer, whether we spend longer packages to encourage the use of reusable nappies for at the recycling centre or whether we must leave goods those who want to do it but do not know how and when to a local charity shop, we must all play our role. I to start that journey. It might not be something that the remember very well when my council went into recycling Minister can do today, but perhaps she can give us some and many people objected to it—probably just for the encouragement that it might happen. sake of objecting—but today every one of us energetically and physically recycles all the products in our house: Rebecca Pow: I again thank all Members who tabled everything that should be, in the blue bin; glass in the amendments and who contributed to this afternoon’s glass bin; the grey bin for the ordinary stuff that we had debate, demonstrating yet again the strength of feeling before; and the brown bin for the stuff that goes elsewhere. and the desire to improve and enhance the environment I want to ask two questions. The Government’s role is through this landmark Environment Bill. I can only to provide a Bill that enforces statutory obligations and say that I was slightly disappointed that the shadow bodies, and I support them in that aim. I was contacted Minister, the hon. Member for Newport West (Ruth by the Law Society, which has raised some concerns in Jones), did not quite seem to grasp the Bill’s intricacies, reference to clause 22 that I wish to outline. It says that which together will provide such a framework to protect the appointments process for the chair and non-executive the environment, but I know, because she was a great members should be strengthened so that the Secretary Committee member, that in her heart of hearts she of State does not have sole authority over appointments. really does support the Bill. The Law Society welcomes the proposed OEP, which I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South West must play a central role in ensuring that institutions and Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous), who raised many issues organisations, including Government Departments, meet that which will be tackled in the Bill, not least through their environmental responsibilities. In order for the the electronic tracking of waste. I hope that my hon. OEP to be effective in fulfilling this role, it is essential Friend the Member for Southend West (Sir David Amess) that it is fully independent from the Government. welcomes the nature target that we have just announced The Government have stated that they intend the and the measures on biodiversity net gain, all of which OEP to be an independent authority that is capable of will help to achieve the things he is so proud of and holding the Government to account. If that is the case, pushing for. I thank the hon. Member for Leicester East it is exactly what the Law Society wishes to see; however, (Claudia Webbe) for her comments. I assure the hon. the Law Society is concerned that certain provisions for Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) that we are the OEP in the Bill could impinge on its independence indeed exploring reusable nappies. I certainly used them and potentially undermine its ability to carry out its for one of my children and we are looking at their use, functions effectively. Will the Minister say whether issue so I thank the hon. Gentleman for his suggestion. has been addressed to the Law Society’s satisfaction? Let me turn to new clause 12, on shale gas extraction. Next I wish to speak about an issue that has not come The Government set out their position in full via a up yet—well, it has come up in respect of the introduction, written statement to the House on 4 December 2019. but my suggestion has not. I do not expect the Minister The Government will take a presumption against issuing to endorse my request right away. It is an unusual any further hydraulic fracturing consent. That sends a request but one in respect of which my local council clear message to the sector and to local communities back home has brought in a pilot scheme, and I feel it is that, on current evidence, fracking will not be taken 463 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 464 forward in England. The moratorium will be maintained deforesting the lungs of the world. We will also deliver unless compelling new evidence is provided that addresses the clean air that we all deserve. I am so proud to be the concerns about the prediction and management of part of this Bill, to be part of the DEFRA team and the induced seismicity. Such evidence has yet to be presented amazing Bill team, and to have worked with everyone and the moratorium remains. I thank my hon. Friend across the House, including the environment Committee, the Member for North East Derbyshire (Lee Rowley) to bring forward this Bill. I absolutely commend it to who, with all his knowledge, spoke with such authority the House. on the subject. I could not have put the case better myself. He stressed what a game the Opposition were Ruth Jones: This has been an important debate, and I playing in tabling the new clause. am grateful to all colleagues who have shared their On new clause 19, tabled by my right hon. Friend the thoughts on how we can make this Bill the strong and Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), and comprehensive piece of legislation that our environment new clause 28, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member is crying out for. As I indicated in my opening remarks, for West Dorset (Chris Loder), although we are sympathetic at every stage of this Bill Labour has proposed fair to the principles of the sustainability of labelling, existing amendments. Disappointingly, all of them were defeated voluntaryschemesalreadyprovideconsistentandrecognised by this Minister and her Back-Bench colleagues. Not tools that consumers can use to reduce their environmental one of the amendments was partisan and not one was impact when purchasing food. done to play games, but all were tabled to make this Bill However, I would like to give assurances that we are fit for purpose. Today, new clauses 12 and 24 would do working with industry and the Competition and Markets just that. I am also grateful to the many colleagues who Authority on plans to produce guidance to businesses put their names to our new clauses, and I pay particular on how best to improve their transparency in relation to tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham East claims about environmental impact. Wewill also investigate and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams) for her passionate opportunities to review other aspects of food labelling speech and for her new clause 29, which has the support when we have the outcomes of Henry Dimbleby’s of those on these Benches. I support her call on the independent review of the food system in the early Government to put the WHO guidelines into the Bill. I summer and then the food strategy White Paper from also thank my hon. Friends the Members for Lancaster the Government within six months. and Fleetwood (Cat Smith), for Brent North (Barry Gardiner), for Cynon Valley (Beth Winter) and for 5.15 pm Swansea West (Geraint Davies) and give a big, non-partisan New clause 24 deals with the burning of peat. We have thank you to the indefatigable hon. Member for Strangford committed to exploring the environmental and economic (Jim Shannon). At this point, I wish gently to respond case for extending peat protections further in the England to the hon. Member for Edinburgh North and Leith peat action plan, which was published just last week. In (Deidre Brock), who claimed that the UK was not first that plan, we committed to immediately fund 35,000 to declare a climate emergency. I respectfully remind hectares of peatland restoration by 2025 and to consult her that this Parliament was the first to declare a on the banning of horticultural peat. We are making climate emergency, in May 2019. I should remember great progress on that and working with industry. On that, as I made my maiden speech during that debate, new clause 29, which was tabled by the hon. Member and let us not forget that that debate was led by Labour for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams), Members. the Government remain committed to transparency In moving new clauses 24 and 12, Labour has attempted and this Bill introduces a robust framework of monitoring, to give effect to the promises made by Conservative planning and reporting on the impact of the Bill’s Ministers, who are pretty good at talk, which is great, measures. In Committee, I talked over and over again but we on the Labour Benches prefer to see action about the procedures we have in place in the Bill for all rather than words. I have heard what the Minister that statutory cycle of monitoring, planning and reporting, said—I listened to her very carefully—and I thank her and the requirement to set out interim environmental for her comments, but, once again, I am disappointed. targets up to five-yearly.The Government will be required Sadly, normal service has been maintained. We have a to report extensively on environmental progress. Secretary of State who did not want to reach out and To conclude, I wish to thank all Members who have work with us to make this Bill fit for purpose. tabled amendments and contributed to this debate. New clause 12 is actually helpful to the Government. They have raised so many points and we have heard I know that fracking was a glaring omission, but we are about so many passions, be it brown long-eared bats, trying to make sure that their forgetfulness does not hedgehogs, kestrels, soil, trees or peat. The vociferous result in bad policy. I especially wish to mention the and broad support across the House for the environmental hon. Member for North East Derbyshire (Lee Rowley) agenda is wonderful to see. Harnessing this energy will for his passionate audition for ministerial office, but I drive forward our actions on the environment, enabled remind him that the definition of “moratorium” is a by the measures in this landmark Bill. I was particularly temporary ban. If he wants to ban fracking for ever thrilled by the recent announcement setting out our more, he should vote with us on our amendment. actions for nature recovery, including new legally binding I hope that the Minister will take new clause 12 in the targets to halt nature’s decline and this forthcoming spirit in which it was intended and accept it as an easy Green Paper. I believe that this legislation will be pivotal way of making this Bill better. I will be pushing both in giving us the paradigm shift we need to bring back new clause 12 and new clause 24 to a vote. They are species and habitats from the brink, to restore our important issues and will fill glaring holes in this Bill. depleted natural environment, to see sparkling clean Question put, That the clause be read a Second time. waters and bathing waters we can all use and enjoy, and to ensure that UK companies play no part in illegally The House divided: Ayes 216, Noes 357. 465 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 466

Division No. 17] [5.21 pm McKinnell, Catherine Shah, Naz McMahon, Jim Sharma, Mr Virendra AYES McMorrin, Anna Sheerman, Mr Barry Mearns, Ian Siddiq, Tulip Abbott, rh Ms Diane Ferrier, Margaret Miliband, rh Edward Slaughter, Andy Abrahams, Debbie Fletcher, Colleen Mishra, Navendu Smith, Cat Ali, Rushanara Fovargue, Yvonne Moran, Layla Smith, Jeff Ali, Tahir Foxcroft, Vicky Morden, Jessica Smith, Nick Allin-Khan, Dr Rosena Foy, Mary Kelly Morgan, Stephen Smyth, Karin Amesbury, Mike Furniss, Gill Morris, Grahame Sobel, Alex Anderson, Fleur Gardiner, Barry Murray, Ian Spellar, rh John Antoniazzi, Tonia Gill, Preet Kaur Murray, James Stafford, Alexander Ashworth, rh Jonathan Glindon, Mary Nandy, Lisa Starmer, rh Keir Barker, Paula Green, Kate Nichols, Charlotte Stevens, Jo Beckett, rh Margaret Greenwood, Lilian Norris, Alex Stone, Jamie Begum, Apsana Greenwood, Margaret Olney, Sarah Streeting, Wes Benn, rh Hilary Griffith, Nia Onwurah, Chi Sultana, Zarah Betts, Mr Clive Gwynne, Andrew Oppong-Asare, Abena Tarry, Sam Blake, Olivia Haigh, Louise Osamor, Kate Thomas, Gareth Blomfield, Paul Hamilton, Fabian Osborne, Kate Thomas-Symonds, rh Nick Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Hanna, Claire Owatemi, Taiwo Thornberry, rh Emily Brennan, Kevin Hardy, Emma Owen, Sarah Timms, rh Stephen Brown, Ms Lyn Harman, rh Ms Harriet Peacock, Stephanie Trickett, Jon Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Harris, Carolyn Pennycook, Matthew Turner, Karl Bryant, Chris Hayes, Helen Perkins, Mr Toby Twigg, Derek Buck, Ms Karen Healey, rh John Phillips, Jess Vaz, rh Valerie Burgon, Richard Hendrick, Sir Mark Phillipson, Bridget Webbe, Claudia Butler, Dawn Hillier, Meg Pollard, Luke West, Catherine Byrne, Ian Hobhouse, Wera Powell, Lucy Western, Matt Byrne, rh Liam Hodge, rh Dame Margaret Qureshi, Yasmin Whitehead, Dr Alan Cadbury, Ruth Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Rayner, rh Angela Campbell, rh Sir Alan Hollern, Kate Whitley, Mick Reed, Steve Carden, Dan Hopkins, Rachel Whittome, Nadia Rees, Christina Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Huq, Dr Rupa Williams, Hywel Reeves, Ellie Chamberlain, Wendy Hussain, Imran Wilson, Munira Reeves, Rachel Champion, Sarah Jardine, Christine Winter, Beth Reynolds, Jonathan Charalambous, Bambos Jarvis, Dan Yasin, Mohammad Ribeiro-Addy, Bell Clark, Feryal Johnson, rh Dame Diana Zeichner, Daniel Rimmer, Ms Marie Cooper, Daisy Johnson, Kim Rodda, Matt Tellers for the Ayes: Cooper, Rosie Jones, Darren Russell-Moyle, Lloyd Mark Tami and Cooper, rh Yvette Jones, Gerald Saville Roberts, rh Liz Liz Twist Corbyn, rh Jeremy Jones, rh Mr Kevan Coyle, Neil Jones, Ruth Creasy, Stella Jones, Sarah NOES Cruddas, Jon Kane, Mike Adams, Nigel Beresford, Sir Paul Cryer, John Keeley, Barbara Afolami, Bim Berry, rh Jake Cummins, Judith Kendall, Liz Afriyie, Adam Bhatti, Saqib Cunningham, Alex Khan, Afzal Ahmad Khan, Imran Blackman, Bob Daby, Janet Kinnock, Stephen Aiken, Nickie Blunt, Crispin Davey, rh Ed Kyle, Peter Aldous, Peter Bone, Mr Peter David, Wayne Lake, Ben Allan, Lucy Bottomley, Sir Peter Davies, Geraint Lammy, rh Mr David Amess, Sir David Bowie, Andrew Davies-Jones, Alex Lavery, Ian Anderson, Lee Bradley, Ben De Cordova, Marsha Lewell-Buck, Mrs Emma Anderson, Stuart Bradley, rh Karen Debbonaire, Thangam Lewis, Clive Andrew, rh Stuart Brady, Sir Graham Dhesi, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Lloyd, Tony Ansell, Caroline Braverman, rh Suella Dodds, Anneliese Long Bailey, Rebecca Argar, Edward Brereton, Jack Doughty, Stephen Lucas, Caroline Atherton, Sarah Bridgen, Andrew Dowd, Peter Lynch, Holly Atkins, Victoria Brine, Steve Dromey, Jack Madders, Justin Bacon, Gareth Bristow, Paul Duffield, Rosie Mahmood, Mr Khalid Bacon, Mr Richard Britcliffe, Sara Eagle, Dame Angela Mahmood, Shabana Badenoch, Kemi Brokenshire, rh James Eagle, Maria Malhotra, Seema Bailey, Shaun Browne, Anthony Eastwood, Colum Maskell, Rachael Edwards, Jonathan Matheson, Christian Baillie, Siobhan Bruce, Fiona Efford, Clive McCabe, Steve Baker, Duncan Buchan, Felicity Elliott, Julie McCarthy, Kerry Baker, Mr Steve Buckland, rh Robert Elmore, Chris McDonagh, Siobhain Baldwin, Harriett Burghart, Alex Eshalomi, Florence McDonald, Andy Barclay, rh Steve Burns, rh Conor Esterson, Bill McDonnell, rh , Mr John Butler, Rob Evans, Chris McFadden, rh Mr Pat Baynes, Simon Cairns, rh Alun Farron, Tim McGinn, Conor Bell, Aaron Campbell, Mr Gregory Farry, Stephen McGovern, Alison Benton, Scott Carter, Andy 467 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 468

Cartlidge, James Garnier, Mark Latham, Mrs Pauline Quin, Jeremy Cash, Sir William Ghani, Ms Nusrat Leadsom, rh Andrea Quince, Will Cates, Miriam Gibb, rh Nick Leigh, rh Sir Edward Raab, rh Dominic Caulfield, Maria Gibson, Peter Levy, Ian Randall, Tom Chalk, Alex Gideon, Jo Lewer, Andrew Redwood, rh John Chishti, Rehman Girvan, Paul Lewis, rh Brandon Rees-Mogg, rh Mr Jacob Churchill, Jo Glen, John Lewis, rh Dr Julian Richards, Nicola Clarke, Mr Simon Goodwill, rh Mr Robert Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Richardson, Angela Clarke, Theo Gove, rh Michael Lockhart, Carla Roberts, Rob Clarke-Smith, Brendan Graham, Richard Loder, Chris Robertson, Mr Laurence Clarkson, Chris Grant, Mrs Helen Logan, Mark Robinson, Gavin Cleverly, rh James Gray, James Longhi, Marco Robinson, Mary Clifton-Brown, Sir Geoffrey Grayling, rh Chris Lopez, Julia Rosindell, Andrew Coffey, rh Dr Thérèse Green, Chris Lopresti, Jack Rowley, Lee Colburn, Elliot Green, rh Damian Lord, Mr Jonathan Russell, Dean Collins, Damian Griffith, Andrew Loughton, Tim Rutley, David Costa, Alberto Griffiths, Kate Mackinlay, Craig Sambrook, Gary Courts, Robert Grundy, James Mackrory, Cherilyn Saxby, Selaine Coutinho, Claire Gullis, Jonathan Maclean, Rachel Scully, Paul Cox, rh Sir Geoffrey Halfon, rh Robert Mak, Alan Seely, Bob Crabb, rh Stephen Hall, Luke Malthouse, Kit Selous, Andrew Crosbie, Virginia Hammond, Stephen Mangnall, Anthony Shannon, Jim Crouch, Tracey Hancock, rh Matt Marson, Julie Shapps, rh Grant Daly, James Hands, rh Greg May, rh Mrs Theresa Sharma, rh Alok Davies, David T. C. Harper, rh Mr Mark Mayhew, Jerome Shelbrooke, rh Alec Davies, Gareth Harris, Rebecca Maynard, Paul Simmonds, David Davies, Dr James Harrison, Trudy McCartney, Karl Skidmore, rh Chris Davies, Mims Hart, Sally-Ann McPartland, Stephen Smith, Chloe Davies, Philip Hart, rh Simon McVey, rh Esther Smith, Greg Davis, rh Mr David Hayes, rh Sir John Menzies, Mark Smith, Henry Davison, Dehenna Heald, rh Sir Oliver Merriman, Huw Smith, rh Julian Dinenage, Caroline Heappey, James Metcalfe, Stephen Smith, Royston Dines, Miss Sarah Heaton-Harris, Chris Millar, Robin Solloway, Amanda Djanogly, Mr Jonathan Henderson, Gordon Miller, rh Mrs Maria Spencer, Dr Ben Docherty, Leo Henry, Darren Milling, rh Amanda Spencer, rh Mark Donaldson, rh Sir Jeffrey M. Higginbotham, Antony Mills, Nigel Stephenson, Andrew Donelan, Michelle Hinds, rh Damian Mitchell, rh Mr Andrew Stevenson, Jane Dorries, Ms Nadine Hoare, Simon Mohindra, Mr Gagan Stevenson, John Double, Steve Holden, Mr Richard Moore, Damien Stewart, rh Bob Dowden, rh Oliver Hollinrake, Kevin Moore, Robbie Stewart, Iain Doyle-Price, Jackie Hollobone, Mr Philip Mordaunt, rh Penny Streeter, Sir Gary Drax, Richard Holloway, Adam Morris, Anne Marie Stride, rh Mel Drummond, Mrs Flick Holmes, Paul Morris, David Stuart, Graham Duddridge, James Howell, John Morrissey, Joy Sturdy, Julian Duguid, David Howell, Paul Mortimer, Jill Sunak, rh Rishi Duncan Smith, rh Sir Iain Huddleston, Nigel Morton, Wendy Sunderland, James Dunne, rh Philip Hudson, Dr Neil Mullan, Dr Kieran Swayne, rh Sir Desmond Eastwood, Mark Hughes, Eddie Mumby-Croft, Holly Syms, Sir Robert Edwards, Ruth Hunt, Jane Murray, Mrs Sheryll Thomas, Derek Ellis, rh Michael Hunt, rh Jeremy Murrison, rh Dr Andrew Throup, Maggie Ellwood, rh Mr Tobias Hunt, Tom Neill, Sir Robert Timpson, Edward Elphicke, Mrs Natalie Javid, rh Sajid Nici, Lia Tolhurst, Kelly Eustice, rh George Jayawardena, Mr Ranil Nokes, rh Caroline Tomlinson, Justin Evans, Dr Luke Jenkin, Sir Bernard Norman, rh Jesse Tomlinson, Michael Evennett, rh Sir David Jenkinson, Mark O’Brien, Neil Tracey, Craig Everitt, Ben Jenkyns, Andrea Offord, Dr Matthew Trevelyan, rh Anne-Marie Fabricant, Michael Jenrick, rh Robert Opperman, Guy Trott, , Laura Johnson, rh Boris Paisley, Ian Truss, rh Elizabeth Fell, Simon Johnson, Dr Caroline Parish, Neil Tugendhat, Tom Fletcher, Katherine Johnson, Gareth Patel, rh Priti Vara, Shailesh Fletcher, Mark Johnston, David Paterson, rh Mr Owen Vickers, Martin Fletcher, Nick Jones, Andrew Pawsey, Mark Vickers, Matt Ford, Vicky Jones, rh Mr David Penning, rh Sir Mike Villiers, rh Theresa Foster, Kevin Jones, Fay Penrose, John Wakeford, Christian Fox, rh Dr Liam Jones, Mr Marcus Percy, Andrew Walker, Mr Robin Francois, rh Mr Mark Jupp, Simon Philp, Chris Wallace, rh Mr Ben Frazer, rh Lucy Kawczynski, Daniel Pincher, rh Christopher Wallis, Dr Jamie Freeman, George Kearns, Alicia Poulter, Dr Dan Warburton, David Freer, Mike Keegan, Gillian Pow, Rebecca Warman, Matt Fuller, Richard Knight, Julian Prentis, Victoria Watling, Giles Fysh, Mr Marcus Kruger, Danny Pritchard, rh Mark Webb, Suzanne Gale, rh Sir Roger Kwarteng, rh Kwasi Pursglove, Tom Whately, Helen 469 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 470

Wheeler, Mrs Heather Wood, Mike Foy, Mary Kelly Morgan, Stephen Whittaker, Craig Wragg, Mr William Furniss, Gill Morris, Grahame Whittingdale, rh Mr John Wright, rh Jeremy Gardiner, Barry Murray, Ian Wiggin, Bill Young, Jacob Gill, Preet Kaur Murray, , James Zahawi, Nadhim Glindon, Mary Nandy, Lisa Williams, Craig Tellers for the Noes: Green, Kate Nichols, Charlotte Williamson, rh Gavin James Morris and Greenwood, Lilian Norris, Alex Wilson, rh Sammy Scott Mann Greenwood, Margaret Olney, Sarah Griffith, Nia Onwurah, Chi Gwynne, Andrew Oppong-Asare, Abena Question accordingly negatived. Haigh, Louise Osamor, Kate The list of Members currently certified as eligible for a Hamilton, Fabian Osborne, Kate proxy vote, and of the Members nominated as their Hardy, Emma Owatemi, Taiwo proxy, is published below. Harman, rh Ms Harriet Owen, Sarah Harris, Carolyn Peacock, Stephanie Hayes, Helen Pennycook, Matthew New Clause 24 Healey, rh John Perkins, Mr Toby Hendrick, Sir Mark Phillips, Jess PROHIBITION ON BURNING OF PEAT IN UPLAND AREAS Hillier, Meg Phillipson, Bridget (1) A person must not burn specified vegetation on land in Hobhouse, Wera Pollard, Luke England which is Hodge, rh Dame Margaret Powell, Lucy within an upland area on peat. Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Qureshi, Yasmin (2) In this section— Hollern, Kate Rayner, rh Angela “specified vegetation” means heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse Hopkins, Rachel Reed, Steve or vaccinium, and Huq, Dr Rupa Rees, Christina “upland area” means all the land shown coloured pink on the Hussain, Imran Reeves, Ellie map marked as “Map of Upland Area in England” held by the Jardine, Christine Reeves, Rachel Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs but does Jarvis, Dan Reynolds, Jonathan not include the land coloured pink in the Isles of Scilly(a).” Johnson, rh Dame Diana Ribeiro-Addy, Bell —(Ruth Jones.) Johnson, Kim Rimmer, Ms Marie Brought up, and read the First time. Jones, Darren Rodda, Matt Question put, that the clause be read a Second time. Jones, Gerald Russell-Moyle, Lloyd Jones, rh Mr Kevan Shah, Naz The House divided: Ayes 208, Noes 360. Jones, Ruth Sharma, Mr Virendra Division No. 18] [5.31 pm Jones, Sarah Sheerman, Mr Barry Kane, Mike Siddiq, Tulip AYES Keeley, Barbara Slaughter, Andy Kendall, Liz Smith, Cat Abbott, rh Ms Diane Cooper, Rosie Khan, Afzal Smith, Jeff Abrahams, Debbie Cooper, rh Yvette Kinnock, Stephen Smith, Nick Ali, Rushanara Corbyn, rh Jeremy Kyle, Peter Smyth, Karin Ali, Tahir Coyle, Neil Lammy, rh Mr David Sobel, Alex Allin-Khan, Dr Rosena Creasy, Stella Lavery, Ian Spellar, rh John Amesbury, Mike Cruddas, Jon Lewell-Buck, Mrs Emma Starmer, rh Keir Anderson, Fleur Cryer, John Lewis, Clive Stevens, Jo Antoniazzi, Tonia Cummins, Judith Lloyd, Tony Stone, Jamie Ashworth, rh Jonathan Cunningham, Alex Long Bailey, Rebecca Streeting, Wes Barker, Paula Daby, Janet Lucas, Caroline Sultana, Zarah Beckett, rh Margaret Davey, rh Ed Lynch, Holly Tarry, Sam Begum, Apsana David, Wayne Madders, Justin Thomas, Gareth Benn, rh Hilary Davies, Geraint Mahmood, Mr Khalid Thomas-Symonds, rh Nick Betts, Mr Clive Davies-Jones, Alex Mahmood, Shabana Thornberry, rh Emily Blake, Olivia De Cordova, Marsha Malhotra, Seema Timms, rh Stephen Blomfield, Paul Debbonaire, Thangam Maskell, Rachael Trickett, Jon Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Dhesi, Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Matheson, Christian Turner, Karl Brennan, Kevin Dodds, Anneliese McCabe, Steve Twigg, Derek Brown, Ms Lyn Doughty, Stephen McCarthy, Kerry Vaz, rh Valerie Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Dowd, Peter McDonagh, Siobhain Bryant, Chris Dromey, Jack Webbe, Claudia McDonald, Andy Buck, Ms Karen Duffield, Rosie West, Catherine McDonnell, rh John Burgon, Richard Eagle, Dame Angela Western, Matt McFadden, rh Mr Pat Butler, Dawn Eagle, Maria Whitehead, Dr Alan McGinn, Conor Byrne, Ian Efford, Clive Whitley, Mick McGovern, Alison Byrne, rh Liam Elliott, Julie Whittome, Nadia McKinnell, Catherine Cadbury, Ruth Elmore, Chris Wilson, Munira McMahon, Jim Campbell, rh Sir Alan Eshalomi, Florence Winter, Beth McMorrin, Anna Carden, Dan Esterson, Bill Yasin, Mohammad Mearns, Ian Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Evans, Chris Zeichner, Daniel Miliband, rh Edward Chamberlain, Wendy Farron, Tim Mishra, Navendu Champion, Sarah Farry, Stephen Tellers for the Ayes: Moran, Layla Mark Tami and Charalambous, Bambos Fletcher, Colleen Morden, Jessica Liz Twist Clark, Feryal Fovargue, Yvonne Cooper, Daisy Foxcroft, Vicky 471 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 472

NOES Green, rh Damian Lopez, Julia Adams, Nigel Collins, Damian Griffith, Andrew Lopresti, Jack Afolami, Bim Costa, Alberto Griffiths, Kate Lord, Mr Jonathan Afriyie, Adam Courts, Robert Grundy, James Loughton, Tim Ahmad Khan, Imran Coutinho, Claire Gullis, Jonathan Mackinlay, Craig Aiken, Nickie Cox, rh Sir Geoffrey Halfon, rh Robert Mackrory, Cherilyn Aldous, Peter Crabb, rh Stephen Hall, Luke Maclean, Rachel Allan, Lucy Crosbie, Virginia Hammond, Stephen Mak, Alan Amess, Sir David Crouch, Tracey Hancock, rh Matt Malthouse, Kit Anderson, Lee Daly, James Hands, rh Greg Mangnall, Anthony Anderson, Stuart Davies, David T. C. Harper, rh Mr Mark Marson, Julie Andrew, rh Stuart Davies, Gareth Harris, Rebecca May, rh Mrs Theresa Ansell, Caroline Davies, Dr James Harrison, Trudy Mayhew, Jerome Argar, Edward Davies, Mims Hart, Sally-Ann Maynard, Paul Atherton, Sarah Davies, Philip Hart, rh Simon McCartney, Karl Atkins, Victoria Davis, rh Mr David Hayes, rh Sir John McPartland, Stephen Bacon, Gareth Davison, Dehenna Heald, rh Sir Oliver McVey, rh Esther Bacon, Mr Richard Dinenage, Caroline Heappey, James Menzies, Mark Badenoch, Kemi Dines, Miss Sarah Heaton-Harris, Chris Merriman, Huw Bailey, Shaun Djanogly, Mr Jonathan Henderson, Gordon Metcalfe, Stephen Baillie, Siobhan Docherty, Leo Henry, Darren Millar, Robin Baker, Duncan Donaldson, rh Sir Jeffrey M. Higginbotham, Antony Miller, rh Mrs Maria Baker, Mr Steve Donelan, Michelle Hinds, rh Damian Milling, rh Amanda Baldwin, Harriett Dorries, Ms Nadine Hoare, Simon Mills, Nigel Barclay, rh Steve Double, Steve Holden, Mr Richard Mitchell, rh Mr Andrew Baron, Mr John Dowden, rh Oliver Hollinrake, Kevin Mohindra, Mr Gagan Baynes, Simon Doyle-Price, Jackie Hollobone, Mr Philip Moore, Damien Bell, Aaron Drax, Richard Holloway, Adam Moore, Robbie Benton, Scott Drummond, Mrs Flick Holmes, Paul Mordaunt, rh Penny Beresford, Sir Paul Duddridge, James Howell, John Morris, Anne Marie Berry, rh Jake Duguid, David Howell, Paul Morris, David Bhatti, Saqib Duncan Smith, rh Sir Iain Huddleston, Nigel Morrissey, Joy Blackman, Bob Dunne, rh Philip Hudson, Dr Neil Mortimer, Jill Blunt, Crispin Eastwood, Mark Hughes, Eddie Morton, Wendy Bone, Mr Peter Edwards, Ruth Hunt, Jane Mullan, Dr Kieran Bottomley, Sir Peter Ellis, rh Michael Hunt, rh Jeremy Mumby-Croft, Holly Bowie, Andrew Ellwood, rh Mr Tobias Hunt, Tom Murray, Mrs Sheryll Bradley, Ben Elphicke, Mrs Natalie Javid, rh Sajid Murrison, rh Dr Andrew Bradley, rh Karen Eustice, rh George Jayawardena, Mr Ranil Neill, Sir Robert Brady, Sir Graham Evans, Dr Luke Jenkin, Sir Bernard Nici, Lia Braverman, rh Suella Evennett, rh Sir David Jenkinson, Mark Nokes, rh Caroline Brereton, Jack Everitt, Ben Jenkyns, Andrea Norman, rh Jesse Bridgen, Andrew Fabricant, Michael Jenrick, rh Robert O’Brien, Neil Brine, Steve Farris, Laura Johnson, rh Boris Offord, Dr Matthew Bristow, Paul Fell, Simon Johnson, Dr Caroline Opperman, Guy Britcliffe, Sara Fletcher, Katherine Johnson, Gareth Paisley, Ian Brokenshire, rh James Fletcher, Mark Johnston, David Parish, Neil Browne, Anthony Fletcher, Nick Jones, Andrew Patel, rh Priti Bruce, Fiona Ford, Vicky Jones, rh Mr David Paterson, rh Mr Owen Buchan, Felicity Foster, Kevin Jones, Fay Pawsey, Mark Buckland, rh Robert Fox, rh Dr Liam Jones, Mr Marcus Penning, rh Sir Mike Burghart, Alex Francois, rh Mr Mark Jupp, Simon Penrose, John Burns, rh Conor Frazer, rh Lucy Kawczynski, Daniel Percy, Andrew Butler, Rob Freeman, George Kearns, Alicia Philp, Chris Cairns, rh Alun Freer, Mike Keegan, Gillian Pincher, rh Christopher Campbell, Mr Gregory Fuller, Richard Knight, rh Sir Greg Poulter, Dr Dan Carter, Andy Fysh, Mr Marcus Knight, Julian Pow, Rebecca Cartlidge, James Gale, rh Sir Roger Kruger, Danny Prentis, Victoria Cash, Sir William Garnier, Mark Kwarteng, rh Kwasi Pritchard, rh Mark Cates, Miriam Ghani, Ms Nusrat Largan, Robert Pursglove, Tom Caulfield, Maria Gibb, rh Nick Latham, Mrs Pauline Quin, Jeremy Chalk, Alex Gibson, Peter Leadsom, rh Andrea Quince, Will Chishti, Rehman Gideon, Jo Leigh, rh Sir Edward Raab, rh Dominic Churchill, Jo Girvan, Paul Levy, Ian Randall, Tom Clarke, Mr Simon Glen, John Lewer, Andrew Redwood, rh John Clarke, Theo Goodwill, rh Mr Robert Lewis, rh Brandon Rees-Mogg, rh Mr Jacob Clarke-Smith, Brendan Gove, rh Michael Lewis, rh Dr Julian Richards, Nicola Clarkson, Chris Graham, Richard Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Richardson, Angela Cleverly, rh James Grant, Mrs Helen Lockhart, Carla Roberts, Rob Clifton-Brown, Sir Geoffrey Gray, James Loder, Chris Robertson, Mr Laurence Coffey, rh Dr Thérèse Grayling, rh Chris Logan, Mark Robinson, Gavin Colburn, Elliot Green, Chris Longhi, Marco Robinson, Mary 473 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 474

Rosindell, Andrew Timpson, Edward Members in all parts of the House agree that the Rowley, Lee Tolhurst, Kelly decline of our natural environment has persisted for too Russell, Dean Tomlinson, Justin long. As we emerge from the covid-19 pandemic, we Rutley, David Tomlinson, Michael must turn our attention to recovery. We must build back Sambrook, Gary Tracey, Craig greener. The pandemic has reminded us all of the Saxby, Selaine Trevelyan, rh Anne-Marie difference that nature makes to our lives. Scully, Paul Trott, Laura Seely, Bob Truss, rh Elizabeth After G7 nations gather in Cornwall next month, the Selous, Andrew Tugendhat, Tom wider international community will attend the convention Shannon, Jim Vara, Shailesh on biological diversity in Kunming in October, before Shapps, rh Grant Vickers, Martin the UK, as co-president, hosts the world at COP26 on Sharma, rh Alok Vickers, Matt climate change in November. This is a very important Shelbrooke, rh Alec Villiers, rh Theresa year for the environment internationally,and this landmark Simmonds, David Wakeford, Christian Environment Bill will deliver on our manifesto commitment Skidmore, rh Chris Walker, Mr Robin to create the most ambitious environmental programme Smith, Chloe Wallace, rh Mr Ben of any country on earth. Smith, Greg Wallis, Dr Jamie Smith, Henry Warburton, David As I announced last week, the Government intend to Smith, rh Julian Warman, Matt amend the Bill in the other place to include a new, Smith, Royston Watling, Giles historic, legally binding target on species abundance for Solloway, Amanda Webb, Suzanne 2030, aiming to halt the decline of nature. This is a Spencer, Dr Ben Whately, Helen pioneering measure that will be the net zero equivalent Spencer, rh Mark Wheeler, Mrs Heather for nature, spurring action on the scale required to Stafford, Alexander Whittaker, Craig address the biodiversity crisis. Our forthcoming Green Stephenson, Andrew Whittingdale, rh Mr John Paper will also explore how we might deliver our world- Stevenson, Jane Wiggin, Bill leading domestic ambitions for nature, including how Stevenson, John Wild, James we improve the status of native species, such as the Stewart, rh Bob Williams, Craig Stewart, Iain water vole and the red squirrel, and protect 30% of our Williamson, rh Gavin land by 2030. Streeter, Sir Gary Wilson, rh Sammy Stride, rh Mel Wood, Mike My right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Stuart, Graham Wragg, Mr William Ewell (Chris Grayling) has ensured that the plight of Sturdy, Julian Wright, rh Jeremy the hedgehog has been greatly debated during the passage Sunak, rh Rishi Young, Jacob of the Bill, and the Green Paper that we plan later this Sunderland, James Zahawi, Nadhim year will also explore how we might better protect other Swayne, rh Sir Desmond species currently not protected under the habitats Syms, Sir Robert Tellers for the Noes: regulations, including the hedgehog. In a similar vein, I Thomas, Derek Scott Mann and Throup, Maggie James Morris have asked my noble Friend Lord Benyon to chair a small working group, together with Tony Juniper, Christopher Katkowski, QC, and the Under-Secretary Question accordingly negatived. of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton The list of Members currently certified as eligible for a Deane. The group will explore how our approach to proxy vote, and of the Members nominated as their conservation and habitat assessment might be improved proxy, is published at the end of today’s debates. so that we can deliver nature’s recovery and hit the Third Reading. ambitious targets that we are setting. Queen’s and Prince of Wales’s consent signified. Our world-leading targets will be supported by provisions in the Bill and our new England trees and peat action plans to protect existing trees and expand woodland 5.38 pm coverage. Our aim is to treble woodland creation rates by the end of this Parliament and to restore 35,000 The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural hectares of peatland by 2025. Although we treasure our Affairs (George Eustice): I beg to move, That the Bill be many species and ecosystems for their own sake and now read the Third time. their intrinsic value, we must remember that they also Of course, for this Bill, it is the third time in more provide vital services from which people benefit, such as ways than one. Hon. Members will recall that a similar carbon storage and pollination. As shown in the Dasgupta Bill was introduced in the last Parliament, and this Bill review, protecting and enhancing our natural assets and itself started in the last Session. I thank right hon. and the biodiversity that underpins them is crucial to achieving hon. Members across the House, particularly the members a sustainable, resilient economy. of the Public Bill Committee for their scrutiny and all The Bill takes important strides in tackling air, water those involved in the previous iteration of the Bill and waste pollution. Cleaner air from new, legally binding during the last Parliament. I pay special tribute to the targets will drive action to tackle harmful air pollution Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and across the country. Better management of our water for Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton new drainage and sewage management plans will improve Deane (Rebecca Pow), for her tireless work on the Bill, water quality in our rivers and lakes. The Bill will also and to all the DEFRA officials for all the work they give us powers to tackle storm overflows, and I thank put in to get such a significant piece of legislation to my right hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Philip this point. It is a large and complex piece of legislation, Dunne) for his efforts on that particular area of policy. and a huge amount of work has gone into getting its We therefore intend to table an amendment in the other provisions right. place requiring Government to publish plans to reduce 475 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 476 sewage discharges from storm overflows by September Report sought to build on the limited foundation set by 2022, and for water companies and the Environment the Conservative party and make this Bill properly fit Agency to publish storm overflow operations data on for purpose. It is all very well and good to set out the an annual basis. problem, but if we do not match that with strong and We are already consulting on measures to prevent comprehensive plans, what is the point? waste and tackle the scourge of plastic ending up in our I remain saddened that Conservative Members voted oceans. The extended producer responsibility scheme, against Labour’s amendments at every opportunity they which will make producers of packaging responsible for had in Committee and on Report, but all is not yet the cost of disposal, will incentivise better product design lost—we should not worry. I feel sure, as the Bill moves from the outset. New powers will allow us to place to the other place, that my noble Friends Baroness charges on single-use plastics, reducing their persistence Jones of Whitchurch and Baroness Hayman of Ullock in our natural environment. All of this, of course, will will take it by the horns and make it the strong and be underpinned by our new system of environmental purposeful Bill the Under-Secretary of State for governance. The Bill creates the new, independent Office Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for Environmental Protection to hold all public authorities for Taunton Deane (Rebecca Pow), could have made it to account on reaching these important goals. Work to here in this House. establish the OEP is already well under way under the This is not about politics. I should say to the House chairmanship of Dame Glenys Stacey and I commend that the Government’s approach to this Bill sits at the the work that she has done to date. door of the Secretary of State. I used to say that the In conclusion, I am pleased to see this Bill reach its Environment Bill was missing in action, but the Secretary Third Reading after a couple of attempts in previous of State was missing in action, so I am very glad he has Sessions and during the last Parliament. I am grateful turned up safe and sound, and I am very grateful to him for the many contributions from Members of all parties for turning up. However, I thank the Minister for her today. I believe that these provisions will ensure that this personal commitment and hard work. She takes these generation leaves our environment in a better state than issues very seriously, and I have enjoyed working with we found it, and I therefore commend the Bill to the House. her. I just feel sorry that her colleagues will not let her work with us in the way I suspect she would like to. 5.45 pm I am grateful to the many stakeholders such as Ruth Ruth Jones: Well, here we are: the Environment Bill Chambers from the Green Alliance, Matt Browne from has finally reached Third Reading, and we all know that the Wildlife and Countryside Link, Jo Blackman from it has taken some time. Talking about timings, I want to Global Witness, Chloe Alexander from the CHEM Trust wish the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural and Andrea Lee from ClientEarth, to name just a few, Affairs Committee, the hon. Member for Tiverton and for their hard work and tenacity over the last year and Honiton (Neil Parish), a very happy 65th birthday,although a bit. he is not in his place, because he is a tenacious campaigner, The pandemic, our departure from the European and I have enjoyed working with him on this Bill in Union and a general election were just some of the recent months. hurdles we have had to get over in recent months, and The last year and a half or thereabouts since this Bill we have done our bit. Many in this House have raised received its Second Reading in this House has been one important arguments in recent weeks and months, and like no other. With that in mind, I want to start by will continue to do so as this Bill works its way through acknowledging the brilliant hard work of the staff of the other place before coming back to us. I urge the this House, notably the Clerks, Sarah and Joanna, and Secretary of State to do whatever he can to make sure of course the staff in the parliamentary offices of my we get the Bill back sooner rather than later. We do not hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and have time to waste. The climate crisis worsens each day, Devonport (Luke Pollard)—thank you, Kieran and Rob; and real action is necessary now. I urge the Secretary of of my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (Daniel State to work with us and all the Members in this House Zeichner)—thank you, Rafi; of my hon. Friend the when the Bill comes back and to do whatever is required Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Olivia Blake)—thank to tackle the climate and ecological emergency once and you, Minesh and Sam; and of my hon. Friend the for all. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead)—thanks to Holly and Bryn. Obviously, I also thank those of my 5.49 pm hon. Friends the Members for Erith and Thamesmead John Redwood [V]: I have declared my business interests (Abena Oppong-Asare), for North Tyneside (Mary in the Register of Members’Financial Interests. I welcome Glindon) and for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough cleaner air and cleaner water, and I wish the Bill well as (Gill Furniss), and of course I must not forget my own it completes its passage. I hope that we will be nicer to team in Newport West—thank you very much, Adam. nature and better to the other species we share our It has not been easy taking a major piece of legislation islands with. through the House while working from home, and our I would like briefly to make a few points to the staff have been brilliant. It is important to say thank Secretary of State and the ministerial team, who have you to them because, let us be honest, where would we worked hard to get this far. The first point is on water. I be without them? urge them to work with the water industry and the This Bill creates the Office for Environmental Protection, regulators to put in more reservoir capacity. We have but fails to give it the powers it needs. It creates an had many homes and new families coming into my area improvement plan, but does not go far enough. It fails, of Wokingham and West Berkshire, but there has been among other things, to tackle fracking, deliver a proper no increase in potential water supply. Nationwide, we tree strategy and deliver proper structured chemical still have a rising population, and they will need good regulation. Labour’s amendments in Committee and on provision of clean water. 477 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 478

[John Redwood] I hope that more work will be published on the pace and cost of transition. Again, the Bill seems to point us There are two great natural advantages of having more in the direction of repair, maintenance, recycling more reservoir capacity.First, when we have long periods and reuse, and not wanting a throwaway society but of excessive rainfall—we seem to be having one at the reckoning that, if we make good things, they could last moment—and there is the danger of the rivers overtopping for rather longer. How is that reconciled with the idea and causing flood damage, we need more good places that we want a rapid transition to get rid of our existing to park the water, and we could then recharge the extra fleet of petrol and diesel vehicles and to rip out all our reservoir capacity. Secondly, were we once again to have gas boilers and solid fuel heating systems? Has there one of those long, hot summers with long dry spells, as been proper carbon accounting on all that, and how is we have had from time to time in the past, we would be that reconciled with the very good aim in this Bill that able to draw down in more comfort, knowing that we we must consider the impact on our earth and the amount had adequate reservoir capacity, without having to run that we take out of our earth in order to fashion the the streams and rivers too low or draw excessively on things we may need? the natural aquifers. There is a lot of work ahead for Ministers, who have already been very busy. As others have said, the Bill is On Report, I talked about the excellent news that only the first step, and it will then need to be fashioned there will be many more trees and urged Ministers to into popular products and feasible programmes: things ensure that they help to build a much bigger forestry that business will want to collaborate with and things and timber industry. We import far too much and need that people will want to do. There is an educational to replace it with home production and fewer wood process involved. We also need to ensure that we know miles. I also urge the Secretary of State to bring forward what the costs are and that they are realistic, that they those great schemes to promote more food production are phased and that they fall fairly. I would still like to here at home. We lost too much market share, particularly hear more from the Government on the total cost of all in areas such as vegetables and fruit, in our CAP days. I this work, because we need to ensure that it is realistic, do not think it is morally right to be drawing so much of that it does not get in the way of levelling up and greater that food from a country such as Spain, which is parched prosperity, and that it reinforces our prime agenda, and in great difficulties eking out its inadequate water which is the health and welfare of the British people. supplies, when we have plenty of water at home and could do so much more to promote a good domestic 5.55 pm industry, cutting the food miles and giving confidence Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP) in the environmental benefits of having the home product. [V]: Very briefly, I would like to thank DEFRA officials I would also like to draw Ministers’ attention to the and particularly the Clerks on the Committee for their unresolved business that they have promised to work on help during the progress of the Bill. It has threatened to as we complete this piece of legislation: the possible rival “The Mousetrap” for longevity, and their staying conflict between the Office for Environmental Protection power was quite something in the face of that. The and the Climate Change Committee. I urge Ministers to ministerial team who managed to take so long over the recognise that they need to supervise both bodies and thing do not get quite so much gratitude, though. I give them clear public guidance on their remits. The would also like to thank my researchers, Calum and Government will need to bring forward that piece of Josh, whose assistance has been invaluable, and my work to explain what the relative roles of the two are hon. Friend the Member for Gordon (Richard Thomson), and how the different sets of targets—the natural UK who participated alongside me in the Environment Bill targets on the one hand and the climate change targets Committee. on the other—will knit together and be compatible, It is worth stating again that this legislation is a missed rather than cause tensions. opportunity, and it will have to be revisited again and again in the near future to add in the bits that are so For example, we need to know what the thinking is clearly missing. Despite the Minister’s brave efforts over about the pace of carbon dioxide reduction and transition the many months to defend it, the Bill is not much at all. and how that impacts on our natural landscape, because Although it will pass today, only crumbs are being if we are going to accelerate the move from electric proffered. I look forward in my capacity as environment vehicles or gas boilers or both, there will need to be and COP26 spokesperson for the SNP to continuing to massiveinvestment.Thatinvestmentincludestheproduction challenge the Government to ensure that they match of a lot of steel, glass and batteries. Mining activity their warm words with firm actions that will make a real somewhere is required to produce those raw materials difference, particularly in the year that the UK hosts and fashion them into something that can then be part COP26. Our world’s future deserves nothing less. of an electric product. We need to know whether we will be doing any of that in the UK, or whether the idea is 5.57 pm that we should import much of it because we do not Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab): Almost two years ago wish to husband our own natural resources for this to the day, Parliament declared a climate emergency. purpose. If we are going to import, we should properly Two years ago! The last four years were the hottest on account for it, because it is not helping the planet if we record, one in seven native British species are now at say, “Well, we’re not putting the mine here or burning risk of extinction and tree planting targets are missed the coal to smart the steel here,” but it is happening by 50%. Some 60% of people in England are now somewhere else—indeed, it may be happening somewhere breathing illegally poor air, and 44% of species have else where environmental concerns are taken much less been in decline over the last 10 years. We could all go seriously and the environmental damage of producing that on; we all know what the situation is. Is this Bill up to it? product is far greater than if we had done it at home. I do not think it is, and I am disappointed by that. 479 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 Environment Bill 480

People in Putney, Southfields and Roehampton are do that together, but my experience on the Environment very interested in the environment and in making a Bill Committee confirmed to me that the Government difference. They have joined an environment commission have no interest in that. Amendment after amendment that I have set up, and they are taking action in local was put forward, all of which would have hugely communities and also globally. I also think of the other strengthened the Bill, and the Government did not want communities around the world that are affected by the to know. Any headlines today about changes of mind decisions we are making today, including the community the Government may have had on amendments would in Bangladesh that I visited when I worked for WaterAid. have been immediately forgotten, because another event We had to get there by plane—there were no roads to was going on this morning that has taken all the headlines, get there—and I sat around with a group of women but it could have been done. We now have to hope that whose whole area had been completely decimated and the other place will take up the mantle and agree to become saline. They could not grow any crops and they many of the excellent amendments and changes that we had to walk miles and miles to get fresh water. They have proposed to the Bill. were stuck there, having been really decimated by climate The Government’s intransigence will cost future change, and we face that here. We have a responsibility generations dear, but what are the next steps? It must be to that community as well as to all our communities a global Bill. We must have joined-up Government. It across the country. cannot just be this small pot of legislation. For example, So here we are, 482 days after the Bill was first the G7 negotiations over vaccines must work to ensure introduced to Parliament, with a Bill that still fails that developing countries come to COP26 and that the adequately to address this climate emergency. It fails to whole process works. It has to join up through the year. guarantee no regression from the environmental measures We have to stop the cuts to international climate aid to that were in place when we were members of the European countries around the world which undermine efforts we Union. I was so disappointed that the Government might take here to reduce our carbon emissions, and could not agree to that when we were in Committee. We this must not be undermined by the upcoming planning could have drawn a line and said, “That’s our baseline; legislation. we’re going to get better from there.” Instead, the To summarise, this Bill will go down as a historic Government did not agree even to measure that. missed opportunity. I welcome the concessions that The Government have failed to put World Health have been made, but they have taken too long and are Organisation air quality targets into the Bill. The Bill piecemeal measures compared with the enormity of fails to reduce disposable nappy use, and I am glad I what is required to tackle the climate emergency. My share an interest in that with other Members of the constituents and I hope to be proved wrong. I hope that House. It fails to make enough meaningful change. It the Office for Environmental Protection gets some teeth fails on marine conservation and ocean preservation. It from somewhere and does make a change, and that we fails on green homes.Only a few weeks ago, the Government see targets that are really achieved, but at the moment I scrapped the green homes grant, yet they are bringing in am feeling, along with my constituents, very disappointed. an Environment Bill. 6.3 pm The Bill fails on trees and bees—we all love bees; I Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): I put know the shadow Secretary of State, my hon. Friend on record my thanks and pay tribute to the officials and the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Clerks who have been involved throughout this whole Pollard), loves the bees, as do many of my constituents. lengthy process. I will not be churlish; I will say thanks There is no detailed plan to meet net zero carbon to the Ministers as well. Whether we agree with everything emissions targets. The starting point should have been in the Bill or not, it is a tough job to pilot a Bill, how we work to get up to there. particularly over the period of time we have been discussing Above all, the Bill fails on strong enforcement. I it in this place. think that is its weakest point. It delivers an Office for I suspect, as the hon. Member for Putney (Fleur Environmental Protection with no teeth: it is not Anderson) said, that this is not the last we will hear of independent, it is resistant to concrete protections and this, because I think our friends in the other place may it has a reduced remit. During the Bill’s passage, the have a thing or two to say about the Bill and seek to Government reduced the remit of the watchdog, guardian strengthen what, in principle at least, is not a bad Bill. and enforcer of the Bill. The Bill leaves our environment There are plenty of things in it where there is great exposed to be used as a bargaining chip in trade agreements. consensus and where we can agree. I shall focus on three It delivers legally binding targets that will not bite for areas where I do not agree so much. In particular, I will two decades and that the Secretary of State has near focus on my concerns about where the Bill is good in complete discretion to change at any time. Marking our theory, but may be very weak in practice. Those concerns own homework will not lead to the change we need. relate to regulation, the delivery of environmental goods The Government, I am afraid, are ducking their through land management, and our ability to control responsibilities with the Bill. They have refused to listen and protect local environments. to me, very learned and expert colleagues or the many First, on regulation, I am greatly concerned that the civil society organisations that have fed in and pointed Office for Environmental Protection looks to be a relatively out time and again where the Bill needs to improve. Yet weak watchdog with few teeth and whose key figures again, the Government have failed to agree to amendments are to be directly appointed by the Government. It will today. be funded by and not sufficiently independent from We are living in an imminent and real climate and Government. It will therefore always be considered to environmental crisis. We will only solve it by working be speaking with some level of restriction. The power, together, by listening to all voices and by all agreeing independence and penalties available to it do not look that we need the prize of climate change. We can only anything like as strong as what we had before we left the 481 Environment Bill 26 MAY 2021 482

[Tim Farron] My third and final concern is that, when we look at the Government’s plan for local nature resource strategies, European Union. Wecould have easily been able to match it is a good plan and it is a weak plan. There is no that level of independence and robustness. The protections mechanism to ensure that those strategies have any and firewalls have not been put in, so I fear very much impact on decision making locally. That is of particular that we will have perhaps great policies, poorly regulated. relevance, given the Government’s plans to undermine Nothing highlights that more than the current discussion planning, democracy and local communities, and to we are having about the potential Australian trade deal. surrender the local environment to developers without If we are deeply committed to protecting almost uniquely proper accountability. In a community such as mine high-level British animal welfare and environmental that depends so much on the beauty of our environment, standards, how can we go ahead and do a deal with a that is a danger. The average number of homes built in a country with significantly lower environmental and animal new development is usually fewer than 50 and the welfare standards? That surely undermines our ability Government are looking to give developers the opportunity to enact those standards throughout the whole United to do pretty much what they like up to a development of Kingdom and undermines British farming. British farming that size. is the best in the world. We say that a lot, don’t we? It is Put together, all those things draw a picture of a Bill important to understand why it is the best in the world. that is broadly well-intentioned and does a lot of good, It is the best because of the regulation, but it is the best but, when it comes down to it, it does not provide itself mostly because of our culture of the family farm and with the mechanisms to actually deliver what it says in the unit of the family farm, which means we have close the first place. Good in principle—weak in practice. husbandry—almost hefted human beings, never mind Question put and agreed to. hefted Herdwicks. Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed. That is of massive importance to my second area of concern. Poor protections that would allow a trade deal Business without Debate with Australia could be a precedent for trade deals with other countries that undercut the quality of British produce and undermine British farmers. The concern is about DELEGATED LEGISLATION not just weak regulation and a lack of independence, Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing rigour and sanctions in that regulation, but the delivery Order No. 118(6)), of environmental goods through land management. The amendment in my name that I spoke to earlier is SANCTIONS about ensuring that environmental land management That the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021 schemes include significant and adequate rewards for (S.I., 2021, No, 488), dated 23 April 2021, a copy of which was maintaining the aesthetics and the beauty, as well as the laid before this House on 26 April, in the last Session of Parliament, biodiversity, of our landscape. That is crucial, but so far be approved.—(David T.C. Davies.) it is missing. Mr Deputy Speaker, I worry about your Question agreed to. constituency,mine and many like them. They are absolutely natural environments, but they are managed, crafted PETITION landscapes that have been worked by our farmers over Voter ID centuries. They are as beautiful as they are because they are managed. If we have a situation where they are not rewarded through the new scheme directly for the 6.9 pm preservation of those landscapes, the risk to the world David Linden (Glasgow East) (SNP): I am grateful heritage site status of the Lake District is there, the risk for the opportunity to present this petition. Several of to our tourism economy is there and the risk to biodiversity my constituents have recently been in contact about is there. their concerns about the British Government’s proposed I would add that the Government’s movement towards legislation for voter ID. I therefore rise to present this ELM, which in theory we are all in favour of, is potentially petition on behalf of my Glasgow East constituents risky because they are insisting on phasing out the basic who wish to see the Government abandon plans to payment scheme much more quickly than they are introduce voter ID. going to bring in ELM. That will leave upland farmers, The petition states: for example, losing half their income in the next few The petition of residents of the Glasgow East constituency, years. Many of them will leave the industry. Indeed, the Declares that the current statistics on voter fraud show that it Government wish to facilitate them leaving the industry is incredibly rare and that this is no widespread problem across through the retirement package they announced last the UK, thus voter ID requirements are a solution in search of a problem; further that the only type of fraud that photographic week, but they have no plans to bring anybody new and voter IDs could prevent is voter impersonation, which is even young into the industry to replace them. As they preside more rare each year; further that this legislation has been described over the closure of Newton Rigg College in Penrith, for as draconian, archaic and anti-democratic as it puts a qualification example, where are we getting our young farmers from on the franchise; further that the real consequence of this legislation to deliver these environmental goods? All the best will be this Government suppressing voting among lower income, environmental policies in the world are meaningless if ethnic minority, and younger people, all of whom are less likely to we do not have the hands to enact them. It is like the vote for the party now in Government; further that, in contrast to England manager Gareth Southgate drawing a fantastic this archaic Government, the SNP Government in Holyrood is focused on measures to extend the franchise and encourage strategy in the dressing room and then having no players turnout; further that the SNP has already introduced votes for on the pitch. The danger is that the Environment Bill 16 and 17-year-olds, refugees, and foreign nationals with leave may be a great strategy, but with no players on the pitch to remain; and further that voting should be made as easy as we will not score any goals. possible with no barrier to contributing to democracy. 483 Business without Debate 26 MAY 2021 484

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons Transit Site: Walsall urge the Government to dismiss any plans to implement legislation that enforces voter IDs. Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House And the petitioners remain, etc. do now adjourn—(David T.C. Davies.) [P002666] Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): With the permission of Valerie Vaz, could we have the Government Dispatch Box cover cleaned while Valerie Vaz is on her feet, and the Minister will not touch the Dispatch Box until then?

6.11 pm Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab): I thank the Speaker for granting this very important Adjournment debate about the choice of Narrow Lane as a transit site in my constituency.Narrow Lane is one of the oldest historically identifiable places in the neighbourhood of Pleck in Walsall. It currently includes a vacant site, which recently has been used for a neighbourhood office and a small home for the elderly. The site is surrounded by a densely populated and densely developed residential and commercial area and stands at the junction of two very busy major roads. Along with thousands of local residents, I was flabbergasted when Walsall Council decided to choose this site for development as a temporary Gypsy, Roma and Traveller transit site. How the council made that decision and why goes to the very heart of why residents and voters feel that they are ignored and trampled over by politicians who refuse to include local communities in decisions that affect their lives. I know that the Minister will have a lot more representatives beating at his door with the planning Bill for very similar reasons. Not only has the decision-making process been completely flawed, but the site is environmentally unsuitable for a Travellers site because of severe air pollution issues, which would place serious health risks on children and families living in vehicles and caravans. On behalf of the people of Pleck and the wider Walsall community, I want to persuade the Minister to do something about this, to launch an investigation into the decision-making process by Walsall Council, and to request Walsall Council to withdraw the current planning application and revisit its decision to place a transit site at Narrow Lane. This is not about local residents rejecting the GRT community; on the contrary, it is about supporting my constituents and supporting the GRT community to ensure that the most suitable site is chosen in Walsall if one is required. It is also about preventing serious health issues for children and families who are already subject to poor health outcomes in comparison with the population generally. Why did Narrow Lane appear from nowhere to be the council’s choice for the GRT transit site? The council had already identified and approved sufficient new Travellers sites to accommodate a transit site proposal. The Walsall borough site allocation document, which I will refer to as the SAD, was only recently approved by the planning inspector, in 2019. The proposals for new Travellers sites were presented to the public and the stakeholders for consultation, approved by Walsall Council and finally approved by the planning inspector. The SAD is Walsall Council’s key land use document. It identifies sites that can be developed for new Travellers sites: Willenhall Lane caravan site, two pitches; the rear 485 Transit Site: Walsall 26 MAY 2021 Transit Site: Walsall 486

[Valerie Vaz] The council will say that it will consult on the planning application that was made on 19 March, but section 70 of 48 to 72 Foster Street, Blakenall, three pitches; and of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 says that Dolphin Close, Goscote, 10 pitches. Dolphin Close is the planning committee is unlikely to consider site identified as particularly suitable because integration selection. That consultation will not address the issue of with the local community would be helped by the how Narrow Lane has been chosen; and whether there presence of a are more suitable sites that were overlooked or rejected. “large GT community in bricks and mortar housing nearby”. What about the other criticisms—failing to take into account relevant considerations and taking into account There is no distinction in the SAD on whether their use irrelevant considerations? It is unclear why the existing should be as a permanent site or a transit site. I have criteria in the SAD were not used. If there were new visited Dolphin Close. It is tranquil; it overlooks the criteria, there should have been a wider consultation canal and has open space. It has cleaner air for children process. It is not clear who drew up the criteria set out in to breathe, is close to a primary school, has road links appendix A of the council’s report to the cabinet or how nearby in every direction, and the Traveller community they were settled on. No explanation has been given of has settled links in the local community that will encourage how those criteria are applied as part of the desktop community cohesion. There is a reason why Dolphin review. Close was identified as recently as 2019: it is the most suitable larger site in the borough, whether for permanent The refined set of criteria has not been disclosed to or transit pitches. residents or councillors and is unexplained. There is no evidence that cabinet members themselves were presented Legal opinion confirms that the decision taken by with the refined set of criteria or an explanation for its Walsall Council’s cabinet was flawed. It failed to take use and how that affected the choice of Narrow Lane. steps to properly inform itself; it took into account That prompts questions of what the criteria were, how irrelevant considerations; and there was apparent bias. they were formulated, how many development sites Regarding the council’s failure to take reasonable steps they were applied to, how they were applied, and why to inform itself, it could have looked at the relevant Narrow Lane emerged as the only suitable site to put to materials, in particular the SAD—the key land use cabinet. document, which should have been central to the decision In Bushell v. the Secretary of State for the Environment, on where the site should be allocated and which had fairness was said to require disclosure of sufficient been the subject of extensive consultation. Yet no information about the reasons relied on by a public explanation or consideration was given to why the three authority so that members of the public can challenge sites identified in the SAD, which were capable of the accuracy of any facts and the validity of the satisfying the more demanding criteria for permanent arguments. Decisions based on undisclosed policies or sites, were not considered. criteria may be unlawful. Is the Minister going to say What about consultation? The council designated that that is acceptable? this as a key decision—a very important one with Why were environmental and health factors not taken significant financial or community impact. Article 11 of into account by the cabinet in the decision? The Minister the council’s rules states that all decisions of the council will know about a landmark case that established that have to be made in accordance with principles that air pollution from an adjacent road was a material cause include due consultation and a presumption in favour of the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah. Walsall of openness. There was a working group, which met two Council appears to have given no consideration to the representatives of the National Federation of Gypsy implications of that case for any children who will be Liaison Groups and fifteen other people, mostly council affected by the decision. The Narrow Lane site is adjacent employees. There was no wider consultation, and a host to the junction of Darlaston Road and Old Pleck Road, of other stakeholders, including the people who live two busy A roads with signal controlled traffic. The nearby and even the democratically elected Member of Narrow Lane site suffers from extremely poor air quality—a Parliament and councillors, were not consulted. There criterion Walsall Council stipulated must be used in was no list of potential sites. determining that locations/sites are not suitable for As it is a departure from the widely consulted-on Travellers’ sites. SAD, the council should have consulted on the Narrow Walsall Council’s own document “Air Quality—Walsall Lane site and any other potential sites that were considered Nitrogen Dioxide Areas of Exceedance 2020” clearly but not identified in the SAD, on the grounds of fairness, identifies the junction and area surrounding Pleck as a transparency and good administration. The issue was nitrogen dioxide exceedance area. I raised that in a letter raised by local resident Shakil Younis, who told the to the chief executive on 9 February, but received no council’s scrutiny committee: response. The headteacher of the local primary school, Lynne Cherry, also raised that issue at the scrutiny “Wolverhampton City Council have got a similar project that they’re doing with their transit site; what they did was a public meeting. She said: consultation. They invited all the people directly affected by these “I do think the site is a poor site; I know for a fact how busy proposals and they sat down and had a discussion with them. But the roads are around there, I know how poor the air quality is and what have Walsall Council done? Nothing. we’ve not even had a also how fast the roads are because the emergency vehicles will go letter, nothing. we mean nothing to them, just got to pay Council to the Manor Hospital; it is really dangerous.” Tax . Dr Hesham, who also gave evidence to the scrutiny Also at a meeting of the scrutiny committee, a council committee, commented: officer said that “The effect on children is particularly significant. The vast majority of children in hospital present with infections and the “it is absolutely right to say that there was no direct consultation majority of those infections are respiratory infections, infecting around this site”. the heart and the lungs in upper airways”. 487 Transit Site: Walsall 26 MAY 2021 Transit Site: Walsall 488

The report that went to cabinet claims in paragraph 4.34 political agenda. The fact that we now know that Councillor that key council priorities for children will be met by the Andrew is paid by the Conservative party to further its proposal for a Travellers site at Narrow Lane. Yet there interests in the locality of the Narrow Lane site and in are no comments or input from the director of children’s Walsall places an even greater question mark over the services in the report to justify that bold statement. Where issue of bias in the making of this decision. does the director notify the cabinet that she supports But there were other inconsistent matters raised at families and children living in caravans and vehicles at a the cabinet meeting. Councillor Andrew said the Narrow polluted junction of two busy main roads? She does Lane site was suitable as it was “near to motorways.” not. No reasonable or responsible director of children’s He appears to be completely unaware that air pollution services would. is a criterion that must be used in determining suitable The cabinet report also claims that the health priorities Traveller sites, despite this being Walsall Council policy. of the council will be met. Where is the data on air Councillor Perry said that the transit site option should quality and air pollution at this busy junction? The council not be rushed into: identified this spot as suffering from poor air quality. A “Legislation is changing and it’s going to change again, which reasonable portfolio holder would be very concerned will give further protective powers to the authority and to the about housing children in a polluted environment when police.” cleaner alternatives are available. Where are the director of public health’s comments and analysis of the Narrow I agree. Rushing into the transit site option is exactly Lane site? There are none. what Walsall Council is doing, with the application put on an expedited timescale in time for the summer: not The report claims improved health for children living only that, but rushing through a decision at the height nexttoabusyroadjunction.Whereistheevidence? Thecouncil of the pandemic lockdown, when it would be far more employsexpertsforpublichealthandchildren’sservices.Their difficult for residents to express their opinions or hold analysis, based on data and real evidence, and their the cabinet to account. Councillor Bird concluded at opinion and recommendations must form—and should the cabinet meeting: have formed—an integral part of such a report. That is shockingly absent. There was no consideration of air “It may be and has proven to be the case in Sandwell, where the quality and no evidence of an air quality assessment. temporary transit site has never been used, because the travellers know that if they go into Sandwell, they will be directed to that Sadly, in press reports, the children and families who site and they don’t want to do that.” would use a new Travellers site for transit purposes were described as “renegades”by members of Walsall’s cabinet. So the leader of Walsall Council believes that the transit However, I did not think I would see in 2021 Traveller site may never even be used by the GRT community in families being deliberately housed in an unhealthy Walsall, and yet approved a budget of £160,000 for the environment, subject to poor air quality and pollution, construction of the site before consulting with residents when there is a perfectly viable alternative available and in the area. He thinks that the transit site may act as a agreed upon. deterrent for Travellers entering into Walsall, which undermines his very claim that this site is being proposed Turning now to bias, what would a reasonable or in the best interests of the GRT community. informed observer conclude? Councillor Adrian Andrew was the portfolio holder for regeneration and is deputy What does this tell us about the governance at Walsall leader of Walsall Council, and the report went to the Council? I would suggest that the Minister, if he could, cabinet in his name and was presented by him. As view the proceedings of the scrutiny committee, which confirmed by his entry in the council’s register of interests, resulted from a call-in by Councillor Aftab Nawaz and he worked for the hon. Member for Walsall North ward councillors Harbans Sarohi, Khizar Hussain and (Eddie Hughes), who is aware, as I have told him, that I Naheed Gultasib. All our councillors must abide by the am mentioning his name in this debate. That is what Nolan principles of behaviour in public life when making was on the council’s website and what was held out to decisions. The focus is on objectivity, openness and the public. That was until, at the scrutiny committee transparency. By law, the scrutiny committee’s purpose meeting, in response to the suggestion that this affected is to act as a check and balance on the cabinet of Councillor Andrew’s decision making, as the three sites Walsall Council, not a rubber stamp. Members of a identified in the SAD for the future Traveller sites but scrutiny committee must adopt an independent mindset. not chosen by the cabinet were all found in Walsall Members must put aside the natural impulse to support North, he said, “This is not true.” At the scrutiny decisions made by their own party. The way that the committee meeting, the leader of the council said that scrutiny committee examined this matter does not bear he had this information in his pocket for eight months. out these principles at all. That was not disclosed, yet the requirement under the I call on the Minister to carry out an investigation members’ code of conduct, at paragraph 2.1(3), requires into the way that Walsall Council made its decisions members to disclose this to the monitoring officer within and, in particular, the decision to place a GRT transit 28 days of the change. site at Narrow Lane. The reasons are compelling and Within days, Councillor Andrew amended his entry can be summarised as follows: flawed decision making in the register of interests to state that he is employed as that did not take into account relevant considerations the campaign manager for the Conservative party,although and took into account irrelevant considerations; failure he has not included the fact, as confirmed on his of the council to take reasonable steps to inform itself; LinkedIn profile, that this is for Walsall North and hidden conflicts of interests; failures by members to Walsall South. The fact that the three sites designated in declare relevant pecuniary interests and to maintain the the SAD were in Walsall North could lead to an informed Nolan principles; perceived bias of key decision makers; observer thinking that the cabinet’s minds were closed lack of scrutiny of cabinet decisions; and a failure to to alternatives because they did not serve their party abide by statutory guidelines. 489 Transit Site: Walsall 26 MAY 2021 Transit Site: Walsall 490

[Valerie Vaz] economically and socially, including consideration of the health and wellbeing of Travellers that may locate I know that the Minister, who is a straightforward there. person, will look at the facts. My constituents, the Through an increase in the provision of both permanent residents of Pleck, have had their rights trampled on. and transit sites in appropriate locations and with planning The selection of the site was wrong and the planning permission, the Government trust that local authorities application should be withdrawn. I am confident that will be able to reduce the occurrence of unauthorised the Minister will come to the right conclusion and encampments in their local area. We have a proud intervene with an investigation into this erroneous decision record: the number of authorised transit sites provided of Walsall Council. I will be very pleased to meet him to by local authorities had increased to 356 locations in discuss this urgently. England and Wales as of January 2020. That is an increase of over 41% since the previous decade. Through 6.29 pm a written ministerial statement in February 2019, we The Minister for Housing (Christopher Pincher): I reminded local planning authorities—of course, that congratulate the right hon. Member for Walsall South includes Walsall—of their duties to assess the need for (Valerie Vaz) on securing this debate, about a town that sites and make transit sites available.Through our affordable is close to my heart; it is the town of my birth. I know homes programme, we are investing £11.5 billion in that the matter is of great importance to the right hon. affordable housing over the next five years—the largest Lady as she has brought it to my attention and that of investment in over a decade. As part of this, local my Department previously. authorities and registered providers, including housing The right hon. Lady mentioned the planning deal. associations, can bid for funding for permanent and The Government are committed to providing the homes transit sites. Some excellent permanent and transit sites that our country needs, and in this debate we have an have been built and managed by councils and housing excellent opportunity to discuss how all groups in the associations. I encourage more authorities to bid for community, including Gypsies, can have their needs funding, and I encourage the right hon. Lady to encourage met. In terms of the overall issue raised regarding local Walsall to bid for such funding. authority conduct, I am sure that the right hon. Lady The right hon. Lady raised the issue of consultation. understands that Ministers, rightly, have limited remit Effective consultation is, of course, essential when to intervene in the day-to-day affairs of local authorities, considering any planning application, because it enables and clearly it is not appropriate for a Minister such as local authorities to identify and consider all the relevant me to comment on specific planning cases or on the issues associated with a proposed development. In this local plan, because of the quasi-judicial role that I fulfil. particular case, the application was lodged on 24 March, Given that the proposed transit site is subject to obtaining and local residents and others have an opportunity to planning permission, and that the decision on the planning consult the council. application has not yet been made, I would encourage her to continue her discussions directly with the local As is the case for all planning applications, applications authority, because the decision, whatever it may be, is for Traveller sites must, except in exceptional circumstances, subject to the obtaining of planning permission, and be determined in accordance with the local authority’s therefore interested parties—I am sure that she has development plan and other relevant considerations. encouraged interested parties to express their view—have Local opposition or support is not in itself a ground been able, and are able, to offer their view. for refusing or granting planning permission, but a However, if the right hon. Lady considers that there consideration that needs to be taken into account alongside are grounds for complaint against the council, I would many others. Of course, the ultimate decision on the direct her to the council’s own complaints procedure weight given to different considerations for any planning and suggest that she continues to use her voice in this application rests with the local authority, which considers House. She has used privilege, as we are all able to do, to each application on its merits. raise a concern that she has about bias and a specific In advance of an authority making a decision on a councillor in Walsall. I would say, by the bye, that planning application, there is an opportunity for any Councillor Andrews is, I believe, councillor for Pheasey third party to request a call-in of the application for the Park Farm, which is a ward not in Walsall North but in Secretary of State’s own determination. Generally, the her Walsall South constituency. Secretary of State will only consider whether a call-in is In planning for Traveller sites, the Government’s appropriate once an application has completed the local overarching aim is to ensure fair treatment for Travellers planning process and if the local authority is minded to in a way that facilitates the nomadic way of life while approve it. Call-in powers, as many right hon. and hon. respecting the interests of local residents. The evidence Members in this place will know—to their, I suppose, is clear. Gypsies, Roma and Travellers face some very great sadness—are essentially only used if issues of considerable challenges—a matter that the Government more than local importance are involved. As the case take very seriously. That is why we wish to encourage that the right hon. Lady raises has not yet been approved local authorities to make their own assessments of need or rejected by Walsall Council, I do not believe that it for Travellers, and to have in place local plans to meet would be appropriate for the Secretary of State to that need, in the same way as they plan for all forms of intervene in these circumstances. housing. Such plans should identify sites to meet need The Government recognise that Gypsy, Roma and and contain criteria-based policies to guide decisions Traveller communities are among the most disadvantaged on applications that come forth. The Government believe in British society; that was highlighted by the Government’s that local authorities are best placed to make decisions race disparity audit in 2017. Further steps are now about the number and location of such sites, and to being taken through a new and ambitious cross- ensure that they are sustainable environmentally, Government strategy to improve opportunities across a 491 Transit Site: Walsall 26 MAY 2021 Transit Site: Walsall 492 range of measures,including housing, health and education. intentional trespass a criminal offence, and giving councils In developing the strategy, which we will publish soon, greater powers in the planning system. To that end, in we are determined to address the disparities that we March my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary introduced know some people continue to face to Parliament a Bill that will make intentional unauthorised During the pandemic, which the right hon. Lady trespass that criminal offence in certain circumstances, mentioned, the Government have invested £400,000 in including where the trespass has caused or is likely to education and training programmes for more than cause significant damage and disruption or distress. I 100 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young hope that will be of some benefit and interest to the right people so that they can receive extra tuition to catch up hon. Lady’s constituents. on lost learning, one-to-one support and expert guidance The steps we are taking to tackle unauthorised to help them to progress in education or find employment. encampments will complement the ongoing work of my We have invested £23.75 million in the community own Department and the Under-Secretary of State for champions scheme to work with the communities— Housing, Communities and Local Government, my including Gypsy,Roma and Traveller communities—most hon. Friend the Member for Walsall North (Eddie at risk of covid-19. That is in addition to the £700 million Hughes), to strengthen councils’ planning enforcement package announced in February by the Department for powers to tackle unauthorised developments, which will Education for the expansion of one-to-one and small- be introduced as part of our wider planning reforms. group tutoring programmes, as well as to support the Once more, I congratulate the right hon. Lady on development of disadvantaged children in early years contributing to this debate so powerfully, eloquently settings and summer provision for those pupils who and passionately on behalf of her constituents. I hope it need it most. I know that the challenges facing the is clear from what I have said that we are committed to education of Traveller children are of concern to the delivering a planning system that works for all groups in right hon. Lady and to many Members from all parties, society.Weare taking strong action to improve opportunities including my hon. Friend the Member for South West for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, who are Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous), who has also raised the among the United Kingdom’s most disadvantaged. We matter with me. are taking steps to increase the provision of transit sites The adequate provision of sites, including transit and thus reduce the number of unauthorised sites. sites, is likely to have a direct effect on reducing the Where some Travellers break the rules, we are putting in occurrence of unauthorised encampments, which can place tough measures to prevent and deter unauthorised cause harm and misery to those affected by them and sites, which are, as I say, to the detriment both of local can be costly and time-consuming for landowners who residents and of the Travellers themselves. We are proud have to move and then clean them up afterwards. They of our record of increasing the number of authorised also all too often give an unfair and unkind image transit sites and will continue to encourage the provision of the majority of Travellers who abide by and respect of sufficient and appropriate sites in appropriate locations the law. for the travelling community. We remain committed to Unauthorised encampments also fuel increased tensions delivering a fair planning system in which the needs of between the Travellers and local residents, working against all groups in the community are met. On that note, I the creation of the sort of happy and cohesive communities congratulate the right hon. Lady again and hope that that we aspire to achieve—an issue also raised with me I have gone some way to affirming her support for our by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for general policies. North East Hertfordshire (Sir Oliver Heald). That is Question put and agreed to. why our manifesto committed to tackling unauthorised Traveller camps by giving police new powers to arrest 6.43 pm and seize the property and vehicles of trespassers, making House adjourned. 493 26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 494

Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy

The following is the list of Members currently certified Hannah Bardell (Livingston) Owen Thompson as eligible for a proxy vote, and of the Members nominated (SNP) as their proxy: Paula Barker (Liverpool, Chris Elmore Wavertree) (Lab) Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy Mr John Baron (Basildon and Stuart Andrew Billericay) (Con) Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney Bell Ribeiro-Addy Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) Stuart Andrew North and Stoke Newington) (Con) (Lab) Margaret Beckett (Derby Chris Elmore Debbie Abrahams (Oldham Chris Elmore South) (Lab) East and Saddleworth) (Lab) Apsana Begum (Poplar and Bell Ribeiro-Addy Nigel Adams (Selby and Stuart Andrew Limehouse) (Lab) Ainsty) (Con) Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under- Stuart Andrew (Hitchin and Stuart Andrew Lyme) (Con) Harpenden) (Con) Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) Chris Elmore (Windsor) Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Con) Scott Benton (Blackpool Stuart Andrew Imran Ahmad Khan Stuart Andrew South) (Con) (Wakefield) (Con) Sir (Mole Stuart Andrew Nickie Aiken (Cities of Stuart Andrew Valley) (Con) London and Westminster) (Con) Jake Berry (Rossendale and Stuart Andrew Darwen) (Con) Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green Chris Elmore and Bow) (Lab) Clive Betts (Sheffield South Chris Elmore East) (Lab) Tahir Ali (Birmingham, Hall Chris Elmore Green) (Lab) Saqib Bhatti (Meriden) (Con) Stuart Andrew Lucy Allan (Telford) (Con) Stuart Andrew Mhairi Black (Paisley and Owen Thompson Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Dr Rosena Allin-Khan Chris Elmore (Tooting) (Lab) Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Owen Thompson Lochaber) (SNP) Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) Chris Elmore (Lab) (Harrow East) Stuart Andrew (Con) Sir David Amess (Southend Stuart Andrew West) (Con) Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen Owen Thompson North) (SNP) Fleur Anderson (Putney) Chris Elmore (Lab) Olivia Blake (Sheffield, Chris Elmore Hallam) (Lab) Lee Anderson (Ashfield) Stuart Andrew (Con) Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Chris Elmore Central) (Lab) Stuart Anderson Stuart Andrew (Wolverhampton South West) Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Con) Peter Bone (Wellingborough) Stuart Andrew (Eastbourne) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Steven Bonnar (Coatbridge, Owen Thompson Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) Chris Elmore Chryston and Bellshill) (SNP) (Lab) Ben Bradley (Mansfield) Stuart Andrew Edward Argar (Charnwood) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Stuart Andrew Jonathan Ashworth (Leicester Chris Elmore Moorlands) (Con) South) (Lab) Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab) Chris Elmore Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) Stuart Andrew (Fareham) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Victoria Atkins (Louth and Stuart Andrew Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) Chris Elmore Horncastle) (Con) (Lab) (Orpington) Stuart Andrew Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent Stuart Andrew (Con) South) (Con) Mr Richard Bacon (South Stuart Andrew Andrew Bridgen (North West Stuart Andrew Norfolk) (Con) Leicestershire) (Con) Kemi Badenoch (Saffron Stuart Andrew Steve Brine (Winchester) Stuart Andrew Walden) (Con) (Con) Siobhan Baillie (Stroud) Stuart Andrew (Peterborough) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Duncan Baker (North Stuart Andrew Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) Stuart Andrew Norfolk) (Con) (Con) Harriett Baldwin (West Stuart Andrew Deidre Brock (Edinburgh Owen Thompson Worcestershire) (Con) North and Leith) (SNP) Steve Barclay (North East Stuart Andrew James Brokenshire (Old Stuart Andrew Cambridgeshire) (Con) Bexley and Sidcup) (Con) 495 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 496

Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy

Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Owen Thompson Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh Owen Thompson Loudon) (SNP) South West) (SNP) Ms Lyn Brown (West Ham) Chris Elmore (Gillingham Stuart Andrew (Lab) and Rainham) (Con) Mr Nicholas Brown Chris Elmore Sir Christopher Chope Mr William Wragg (Newcastle upon Tyne East) (Christchurch) (Con) (Lab) (Bury St Stuart Andrew Anthony Browne (South Stuart Andrew Edmunds) (Con) Cambridgeshire) (Con) Feryal Clark (Enfield North) Chris Elmore Fiona Bruce (Congleton) Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Con) Mr Simon Clarke Stuart Andrew Chris Bryant (Rhondda) Chris Elmore (Middlesbrough South and (Lab) East Cleveland) (Con) Felicity Buchan (Kensington) Stuart Andrew Theo Clarke (Stafford) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Con) Brendan Clarke-Smith Stuart Andrew Ms Karen Buck (Westminster Chris Elmore (Bassetlaw) (Con) North) (Lab) Chris Clarkson (Heywood Stuart Andrew Robert Buckland (South Stuart Andrew and Middleton) (Con) Swindon) (Con) (Braintree) Stuart Andrew (Brentwood Stuart Andrew (Con) and Ongar) (Con) Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Stuart Andrew Richard Burgon (Leeds East) Bell Ribeiro-Addy Coastal) (Con) (Lab) (Carshalton Stuart Andrew Conor Burns (Bournemouth Stuart Andrew and Wallington) (Con) West) (Con) (Folkestone Stuart Andrew (Brent Central) Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Hythe) (Con) (Lab) Daisy Cooper (St Albans) Wendy Chamberlain (Aylesbury) (Con) Stuart Andrew (LD) Ian Byrne (Liverpool, West Bell Ribeiro-Addy Rosie Cooper (West Chris Elmore Derby) (Lab) Lancashire) (Lab) Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Chris Elmore Yvette Cooper (Normanton, Chris Elmore Hodge Hill) (Lab) Pontefract and Castleford) Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Chris Elmore (Lab) Isleworth) (Lab) Jeremy Corbyn (Islington Bell Ribeiro-Addy Alun Cairns (Vale of Stuart Andrew North) (Ind) Glamorgan) (Con) Alberto Costa (South Stuart Andrew Amy Callaghan (East Owen Thompson Leicestershire) (Con) Dunbartonshire) (SNP) (Witney) (Con) Stuart Andrew Dr Lisa Cameron (East Owen Thompson (East Surrey) Stuart Andrew Kilbride, Strathaven and (Con) Lesmahagow) (SNP) Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) Owen Thompson Sir Alan Campbell Chris Elmore (SNP) (Tynemouth) (Con) Sir Geoffrey Cox (Torridge Stuart Andrew Mr Gregory Campbell (East Sammy Wilson and West Devon) (Con) Londonderry) (DUP) Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Chris Elmore Dan Carden (Liverpool, Chris Elmore Old ) (Lab) Walton) (Lab) Stephen Crabb (Preseli Stuart Andrew Andy Carter (Warrington Stuart Andrew Pembrokeshire) (Con) South) (Con) Angela Crawley (Lanark and Owen Thompson (South Stuart Andrew Hamilton East) (SNP) Suffolk) (Con) Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) Chris Elmore Sir William Cash (Stone) Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Con) Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) Stuart Andrew Miriam Cates (Penistone and Stuart Andrew (Con) Stocksbridge) (Con) (Chatham and Stuart Andrew Alex Chalk (Cheltenham) Stuart Andrew Aylesford) (Con) (Con) Jon Cruddas (Dagenham and Chris Elmore Sarah Champion (Rotherham) Chris Elmore Rainham) (Lab) (Lab) John Cryer (Leyton and Chris Elmore Douglas Chapman Owen Thompson Wanstead) (Lab) (Dunfermline and West Fife) Judith Cummins (Bradford Chris Elmore (SNP) South) (Lab) Bambos Charalambous Chris Elmore Alex Cunningham (Stockton Chris Elmore (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab) North) (Lab) 497 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 498

Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy

Janet Daby (Lewisham East) Chris Elmore Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Chris Elmore (Lab) Erdington) (Lab) James Daly (Bury North) Stuart Andrew Mrs Flick Drummond (Meon Stuart Andrew (Con) Valley) (Con) Ed Davey (Kingston and Wendy Chamberlain (Rochford Stuart Andrew Surbiton) (LD) and Southend East) (Con) Wayne David (Caerphilly) Chris Elmore Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) Chris Elmore (Lab) (Lab) David T. C. Davies Stuart Andrew Sir Iain Duncan Smith Stuart Andrew (Monmouth) (Con) (Chingford and Woodford Gareth Davies (Grantham Stuart Andrew Green) (Con) and Stamford) (Con) Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con) Stuart Andrew Geraint Davies (Swansea Chris Elmore Ms (Wallasey) Chris Elmore West) (Lab/Co-op) (Lab) Dr James Davies (Vale of Stuart Andrew Maria Eagle (Garston and Chris Elmore Clwyd) (Con) Halewood) (Lab) (Mid Sussex) Stuart Andrew Colum Eastwood (Foyle) Ben Lake (Con) (SDLP) Alex Davies-Jones Chris Elmore Mark Eastwood (Dewsbury) Stuart Andrew (Pontypridd) (Lab) (Con) Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con) Stuart Andrew Jonathan Edwards Stuart Andrew Mr David Davis (Haltemprice Stuart Andrew (Carmarthen East and and Howden) (Con) Dinefwr) (Ind) Dehenna Davison (Bishop Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) Stuart Andrew Auckland) (Con) (Con) Martyn Day (Linlithgow and Owen Thompson Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab) Chris Elmore East Falkirk) (SNP) Julie Elliott (Sunderland Chris Elmore Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol Chris Elmore Central) (Lab) West) (Lab) Michael Ellis (Northampton Stuart Andrew Marsha De Cordova Bell Ribeiro-Addy North) (Con) (Battersea) Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Chris Elmore Mr Tobias Ellwood Stuart Andrew (Slough) (Lab) (Bournemouth East) (Con) (Gosport) Stuart Andrew Mrs (Dover) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Miss Sarah Dines (Derbyshire Stuart Andrew (Vauxhall) Chris Elmore Dales) (Con) (Lab/Co-op) Mr Stuart Andrew Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) Chris Elmore (Huntingdon) (Con) (Lab) (Aldershot) Stuart Andrew George Eustice (Camborne Stuart Andrew (Con) and Redruth) (Con) Martin Docherty-Hughes Owen Thompson Chris Evans (Islwyn) (Lab/ Chris Elmore (West Dunbartonshire) (SNP) Co-op) Anneliese Dodds (Oxford Chris Elmore Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) Stuart Andrew East) (Lab/Co-op) (Con) Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson Sammy Wilson Sir David Evennett Stuart Andrew (Lagan Valley) (DUP) (Bexleyheath and Crayford) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Chippenham) (Con) Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) Stuart Andrew Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP) Owen Thompson (Con) Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick Owen Thompson Laura Farris (Newbury) (Con) Stuart Andrew and Cumnock) (SNP) Stephen Farry (North Down) Wendy Chamberlain Ms (Mid Stuart Andrew (Alliance) Bedfordshire) (Con) Simon Fell (Barrow and Stuart Andrew Steve Double (St Austell and Stuart Andrew Furness) (Con) Newquay) (Con) Marion Fellows (Motherwell Owen Thompson Stephen Doughty (Cardiff Chris Elmore and Wishaw) (Con) South and Penarth) (Lab) Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen Stuart Andrew Peter Dowd (Bootle) (Lab) Chris Elmore and Hamilton West) (Ind) (Hertsmere) Stuart Andrew Colleen Fletcher (Coventry Chris Elmore (Con) North East) (Lab) Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock) Stuart Andrew Katherine Fletcher (South Stuart Andrew (Con) Ribble) (Con) Richard Drax (South Dorset) Stuart Andrew Mark Fletcher (Bolsover) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) 499 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 500

Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy

Nick Fletcher (Don Valley) Stuart Andrew James Gray (North Wiltshire) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen Owen Thompson Chris Grayling (Epsom and Stuart Andrew South) (SNP) Ewell) (Con) Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) Stuart Andrew Damian Green (Ashford) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con) Stuart Andrew Kate Green (Stretford and Chris Elmore Yvonne Fovargue Chris Elmore Urmston) (Lab) (Makerfield) (Lab) Margaret Greenwood (Wirral Chris Elmore Dr Liam Fox (North Stuart Andrew West) (Lab) Somerset) (Con) (Arundel and Stuart Andrew Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Chris Elmore South Downs) (Con) Deptford) (Lab) Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab) Chris Elmore Mary Kelly Foy (City of Bell Ribeiro-Addy Kate Griffiths (Burton) (Con) Stuart Andrew Durham) (Lab) James Grundy (Leigh) (Con) Stuart Andrew Mr (Rayleigh Stuart Andrew Jonathan Gullis (Stoke-on- Stuart Andrew and Wickford) (Con) Trent North) (Con) (South East Stuart Andrew Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Chris Elmore Cambridgeshire) (Con) Reddish) (Lab) George Freeman (Mid Stuart Andrew Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Chris Elmore Norfolk) (Con) Heeley) (Lab) Mike Freer (Finchley and Stuart Andrew (Harlow) Stuart Andrew Golders Green) (Con) (Con) Richard Fuller (North East Stuart Andrew Luke Hall (Thornbury and Stuart Andrew Bedfordshire) (Con) Yate) (Con) Gill Furniss (Sheffield, Chris Elmore Fabian Hamilton (Leeds Chris Elmore Brightside and Hillsborough) North East) (Lab) (Lab) Stephen Hammond Stuart Andrew Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Wimbledon) (Con) Sir (North Stuart Andrew (West Suffolk) Stuart Andrew Thanet) (Con) (Con) Barry Gardiner (Brent North) Chris Elmore Greg Hands (Chelsea and Stuart Andrew (Lab) Fulham) (Con) Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest) Stuart Andrew Claire Hanna (Belfast South) Ben Lake (Con) (SDLP) Ms Nusrat Ghani (Wealden) Stuart Andrew Neil Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Kenny MacAskill (Con) Cowdenbeath) (Alba) (Bognor Regis and Stuart Andrew Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Chris Elmore Littlehampton) (Con) Hull West and Hessle) (Lab) Patricia Gibson (North Owen Thompson Ms Chris Elmore Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP) (Camberwell and Peckham) Peter Gibson (Darlington) Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Con) Mark Harper (Forest of Stuart Andrew Jo Gideon (Stoke-on-Trent Stuart Andrew Dean) (Con) Central) (Con) Carolyn Harris (Swansea Chris Elmore Preet Kaur Gill (Birmingham, Chris Elmore East) (Lab) Edgbaston) (Lab/Co-op) Trudy Harrison (Copeland) Stuart Andrew Paul Girvan (South Antrim) Sammy Wilson (Con) (DUP) Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Stuart Andrew (Salisbury) (Con) Stuart Andrew Rye) (Con) Mary Glindon (North Chris Elmore Simon Hart (Carmarthen Stuart Andrew Tyneside) (Lab) West and South Mr Robert Goodwill Stuart Andrew Pembrokeshire) (Con) (Scarborough and Whitby) Helen Hayes (Dulwich and Chris Elmore (Con) West Norwood) (Lab) Michael Gove (Surrey Heath) Stuart Andrew Sir John Hayes (South Stuart Andrew (Con) Holland and The Deepings) Patrick Grady (Glasgow Owen Thompson (Con) North) (SNP) Sir Oliver Heald (North East Stuart Andrew Richard Graham (Gloucester) Stuart Andrew Hertfordshire) (Con) (Con) John Healey (Wentworth and Chris Elmore Mrs (Maidstone Stuart Andrew Dearne) (Lab) and The Weald) (Con) James Heappey (Wells) (Con) Stuart Andrew Peter Grant (Glenrothes) Owen Thompson Chris Heaton-Harris Stuart Andrew (SNP) (Daventry) (Con) 501 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 502

Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy Member eligible for proxy vote Nominated proxy

Gordon Henderson Stuart Andrew Mr (North Stuart Andrew (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) East Hampshire) (Con) (Con) Sir (Harwich Stuart Andrew Sir Mark Hendrick (Preston) Chris Elmore and North ) (Con) (Lab/Co-op) Mark Jenkinson (Workington) Stuart Andrew Drew Hendry (Inverness, Owen Thompson (Con) Nairn, Badenoch and Andrea Jenkyns (Morley and Stuart Andrew Strathspey) (SNP) Outwood) (Con) Darren Henry (Broxtowe) Stuart Andrew (Newark) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Antony Higginbotham Stuart Andrew Boris Johnson (Uxbridge and Stuart Andrew (Burnley) (Con) South Ruislip) (Con) (East Stuart Andrew Dr Caroline Johnson Stuart Andrew Hampshire) (Con) (Sleaford and North Simon Hoare (North Dorset) Stuart Andrew Hykeham) (Con) (Con) Dame Diana Johnson Chris Elmore Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD) Wendy Chamberlain (Kingston upon Hull North) Dame Margaret Hodge Chris Elmore (Lab) (Barking) (Lab) (Dartford) Stuart Andrew Mrs Sharon Hodgson Chris Elmore (Con) (Washington and Sunderland Kim Johnson (Liverpool, Chris Elmore West) (Lab) Riverside) (Lab) Mr Richard Holden (North Stuart Andrew David Johnston (Wantage) Stuart Andrew West Durham) (Con) (Con) Kate Hollern (Blackburn) Chris Elmore Darren Jones (Bristol North Chris Elmore (Lab) West) (Lab) Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Stuart Andrew Mr David Jones (Clwyd West) Stuart Andrew Malton) (Con) (Con) (Gravesham) Stuart Andrew Fay Jones (Brecon and Stuart Andrew (Con) Radnorshire) (Con) Paul Holmes (Eastleigh) Stuart Andrew Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil Chris Elmore (Con) and Rhymney) (Lab) Rachel Hopkins (Luton Chris Elmore Mr Kevan Jones (North Chris Elmore South) (Lab) Durham) (Lab) Stewart Hosie (Dundee East) Owen Thompson Mr Marcus Jones (Nuneaton) Stuart Andrew (SNP) (Con) Sir George Howarth Chris Elmore Ruth Jones (Newport West) Chris Elmore (Knowsley) (Lab) (Lab) (Henley) (Con) Stuart Andrew Sarah Jones (Croydon Chris Elmore Paul Howell (Sedgefield) Stuart Andrew Central) (Lab) (Con) Simon Jupp (East Devon) Stuart Andrew Nigel Huddleston (Mid Stuart Andrew (Con) Worcestershire) (Con) Mike Kane (Wythenshawe Chris Elmore Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and Stuart Andrew and Sale East) (Lab) The Border) (Con) Daniel Kawczynski Stuart Andrew Eddie Hughes (Walsall North) Stuart Andrew (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con) (Con) Jane Hunt (Loughborough) Stuart Andrew Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Stuart Andrew (Con) Melton) (Con) (South West Stuart Andrew (Chichester) Stuart Andrew Surrey) (Con) (Con) (Ipswich) (Con) Stuart Andrew Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Chris Elmore Rupa Huq (Ealing Central Chris Elmore Eccles South) (Lab) and Acton) (Lab) Liz Kendall (Leicester West) Chris Elmore Imran Hussain (Bradford Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Lab) East) (Lab) Afzal Khan (Manchester, Chris Elmore Mr Alister Jack (Dumfries Stuart Andrew Gorton) (Lab) and Galloway) (Con) Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) Chris Elmore Christine Jardine (Edinburgh Wendy Chamberlain (Lab) West) (LD) Sir Greg Knight (East Stuart Andrew Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central) Chris Elmore Yorkshire) (Con) (Lab) Julian Knight (Solihull) (Con) Stuart Andrew Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) Stuart Andrew Danny Kruger (Devizes) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) 503 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 504

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Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne) Stuart Andrew Stewart Malcolm McDonald Owen Thompson (Con) (Glasgow South) (SNP) Peter Kyle (Hove) (Lab) Chris Elmore Stuart C. McDonald Owen Thompson Mr David Lammy Chris Elmore (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and (Tottenham) (Lab) Kirkintilloch East) (SNP) John Lamont (Berwickshire, Stuart Andrew John McDonnell (Hayes and Bell Ribeiro-Addy Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con) Harlington) (Lab) Robert Largan (High Peak) Stuart Andrew Mr Pat McFadden Chris Elmore (Con) (Wolverhampton South East) (Lab) Mrs Pauline Latham (Mid Stuart Andrew Derbyshire) (Con) Conor McGinn (St Helens Chris Elmore North) (Lab) Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab) Bell Ribeiro-Addy Alison McGovern (Wirral Chris Elmore Chris Law (Dundee West) Owen Thompson South) (Lab) (SNP) Craig Mackinlay (South Stuart Andrew Andrea Leadsom (South Stuart Andrew Thanet) (Con) Northamptonshire) (Con) Catherine McKinnell Chris Elmore Sir Edward Leigh Stuart Andrew (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Gainsborough) (Con) (Lab) Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con) Stuart Andrew Cherilyn Mackrory (Truro Stuart Andrew Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck Chris Elmore and Falmouth) (Con) (South Shields) (Lab) Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow Owen Thompson Andrew Lewer (Northampton Stuart Andrew North East) (SNP) South) (Con) Rachel Maclean (Redditch) Stuart Andrew (Great Stuart Andrew (Con) Yarmouth) (Con) Jim McMahon (Oldham West Chris Elmore Clive Lewis (Norwich South) Chris Elmore and Royton) (Lab) (Lab) Anna McMorrin (Cardiff Chris Elmore Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest Stuart Andrew North) (Lab) East) (Con) John Mc Nally (Falkirk) Owen Thompson Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger Stuart Andrew (SNP) (Bridgwater and West Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na Owen Thompson Somerset) (Con) h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) David Linden (Glasgow East) Owen Thompson Stephen McPartland Stuart Andrew (SNP) (Stevenage) (Con) Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab) Chris Elmore Esther McVey (Tatton) (Con) Stuart Andrew Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) Sammy Wilson (DUP) Justin Madders (Ellesmere Chris Elmore Port and Neston) (Lab) Mark Logan (Bolton North Stuart Andrew East) (Con) Khalid Mahmood Chris Elmore (Birmingham, Perry Barr) Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Lab) and Eccles) (Lab) Shabana Mahmood Chris Elmore Marco Longhi (Dudley Stuart Andrew (Birmingham, Ladywood) North) (Con) (Lab) Julia Lopez (Hornchurch and Stuart Andrew Upminster) (Con) (Havant) (Con) Stuart Andrew Jack Lopresti (Filton and Stuart Andrew Seema Malhotra (Feltham Chris Elmore Bradley Stoke) (Con) and Heston) (Lab) Mr Jonathan Lord (Woking) Stuart Andrew (North West Stuart Andrew (Con) Hampshire) (Con) (East Stuart Andrew Julie Marson (Hertford and Stuart Andrew Worthing and Shoreham) Stortford) (Con) (Con) Rachael Maskell (York Chris Elmore Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Bell Ribeiro-Addy Central) (Lab) Pavilion) (Green) Christian Matheson (City of Chris Elmore Holly Lynch (Halifax) (Lab) Chris Elmore Chester) (Lab) Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Chris Elmore Mrs Stuart Andrew Selly Oak) (Lab) (Maidenhead) (Con) Kerry McCarthy (Bristol Chris Elmore (Broadland) Stuart Andrew East) (Lab) (Con) Karl McCartney (Lincoln) Stuart Andrew Paul Maynard (Blackpool Stuart Andrew (Con) North and Cleveleys) (Con) Siobhain McDonagh Chris Elmore Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab) Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab) Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con) Stuart Andrew Andy McDonald Chris Elmore (Bexhill and Stuart Andrew (Middlesbrough) (Lab) Battle) (Con) 505 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 506

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Stephen Metcalfe (South Stuart Andrew Lia Nici (Great Grimsby) Stuart Andrew Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con) (Con) John Nicolson (Ochil and Owen Thompson Edward Miliband (Doncaster Chris Elmore South Perthshire) (SNP) North) (Lab) Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Stuart Andrew Robin Millar (Aberconwy) Stuart Andrew Southampton North) (Con) (Con) (Hereford and Stuart Andrew Mrs Maria Miller Stuart Andrew South Herefordshire) (Con) (Basingstoke) (Con) Alex Norris (Nottingham Chris Elmore Amanda Milling (Cannock Stuart Andrew North) (Lab/Co-op) Chase) (Con) Neil O’Brien (Harborough) Stuart Andrew Nigel Mills (Amber Valley) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Owen Thompson Navendu Mishra (Stockport) Chris Elmore Bute) (SNP) (Lab) Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) Stuart Andrew Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Stuart Andrew (Con) Coldfield) (Con) Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) Wendy Chamberlain (South West Stuart Andrew (LD) Hertfordshire) (Con) Chi Onwurah (Newcastle Chris Elmore Carol Monaghan (Glasgow Owen Thompson upon Tyne Central) (Lab) North West) Guy Opperman (Hexham) Stuart Andrew Damien Moore (Southport) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Abena Oppong-Asare (Erith Chris Elmore Robbie Moore (Keighley) Stuart Andrew and Thamesmead) (Lab) (Con) Kate Osamor (Edmonton) Bell Ribeiro-Addy Layla Moran (Oxford West Wendy Chamberlain (Lab/Co-op) and Abingdon) (LD) Kate Osborne (Jarrow) (Lab) Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Portsmouth Stuart Andrew Kirsten Oswald (East Owen Thompson North) (Con) Renfrewshire) (SNP) Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth Chris Elmore Taiwo Owatemi (Coventry Chris Elmore South) (Lab) North West) (Lab) Anne Marie Morris (Newton Stuart Andrew Sarah Owen (Luton North) Chris Elmore Abbot) (Con) (Lab) David Morris (Morecambe Stuart Andrew Ian Paisley (North Antrim) Sammy Wilson and Lunesdale) (Con) (DUP) Grahame Morris (Easington) Chris Elmore Neil Parish (Tiverton and Stuart Andrew (Lab) Honiton) (Con) (Beaconsfield) Stuart Andrew (Witham) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Con) Mr Owen Paterson (North Stuart Andrew Jill Mortimer (Hartlepool) Stuart Andrew Shropshire) (Con) (Con) Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con) Stuart Andrew Wendy Morton (Aldridge- Stuart Andrew Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley Chris Elmore Brownhills) (Con) East) (Lab) Dr Kieran Mullan (Crewe and Stuart Andrew Sir (Hemel Stuart Andrew Nantwich) (Con) Hempstead) (Con) Holly Mumby-Croft Stuart Andrew Matthew Pennycook Chris Elmore (Scunthorpe) (Con) (Greenwich and Woolwich) David Mundell Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale John Penrose (Weston-super- Stuart Andrew and Tweeddale) (Con) Mare) (Con) Ian Murray (Edinburgh Chris Elmore Andrew Percy (Brigg and Stuart Andrew South) (Lab) Goole) (Con) James Murray (Ealing North) Chris Elmore Mr Toby Perkins Chris Elmore (Lab/Co-op) (Chesterfield) (Lab) Mrs Sheryll Murray (South Stuart Andrew Jess Phillips (Birmingham, Chris Elmore East Cornwall) (Con) Yardley) (Lab) Andrew Murrison (South Stuart Andrew Bridget Phillipson (Houghton Chris Elmore West Wiltshire) (Con) and Sunderland South) (Lab) Lisa Nandy (Wigan) (Lab) Chris Elmore Chris Philp (Croydon South) Stuart Andrew Sir Robert Neill (Bromley and Stuart Andrew (Con) Chislehurst) (Con) Christopher Pincher Stuart Andrew Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Owen Thompson (Tamworth) (Con) Renfrewshire North) (SNP) Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Chris Elmore Charlotte Nichols Chris Elmore Sutton and Devonport) (Lab/ (Warrington North) (Lab) Co-op) 507 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 508

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Dr Dan Poulter (Central Peter Aldous Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) Mark Harper Suffolk and North Ipswich) (Con) (Con) Andrew Selous (South West Stuart Andrew Rebecca Pow (Taunton Stuart Andrew Bedfordshire) (Con) Deane) (Con) Naz Shah (Bradford West) Chris Elmore Lucy Powell (Manchester Chris Elmore (Lab) Central) (Lab/Co-op) (Welwyn Stuart Andrew Victoria Prentis (Banbury) Stuart Andrew Hatfield) (Con) (Con) (Reading West) Stuart Andrew Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Chris Elmore Anum Qaisar-Javed (Airdrie Owen Thompson Southall) (Lab) and Shotts) (SNP) Mr Barry Sheerman Chris Elmore (Horsham) Stuart Andrew (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op) (Con) Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Stuart Andrew (Colchester) Stuart Andrew Rothwell) (Con) (Con) Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh Owen Thompson Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton Chris Elmore East) (SNP) South East) (Lab) Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead and Chris Elmore (Esher and Stuart Andrew Kilburn) (Lab) Walton) (Con) David Simmonds (Ruislip, Stuart Andrew Tom Randall (Gedling) (Con) Stuart Andrew Northwood and Pinner) (Con) Angela Rayner (Ashton- Chris Elmore Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) Stuart Andrew under-Lyne) (Lab) (Con) John Redwood (Wokingham) Stuart Andrew Andy Slaughter Chris Elmore (Con) (Hammersmith) (Lab) Steve Reed (Croydon North) Chris Elmore Alyn Smith (Stirling) (SNP) Owen Thompson (Lab/Co-op) Cat Smith (Lancaster and Chris Elmore Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab) Chris Elmore Fleetwood) (Lab) Ellie Reeves (Lewisham West Chris Elmore (Norwich North) Stuart Andrew and Penge) (Lab) (Con) Rachel Reeves (Leeds West) Chris Elmore Greg Smith (Buckingham) Stuart Andrew (Lab) (Con) Jonathan Reynolds Chris Elmore Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Stalybridge and Hyde) (Lab) Jeff Smith (Manchester, Chris Elmore Nicola Richards (West Stuart Andrew Withington) (Lab) Bromwich East) (Con) Julian Smith (Skipton and Stuart Andrew Stuart Andrew Ripon) (Con) (Guildford) (Con) Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) Chris Elmore Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens Chris Elmore (Lab) South and Whiston) (Lab) Stuart Andrew Rob Roberts (Delyn) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Southampton, Itchen) (Con) Mr Laurence Robertson Stuart Andrew Karin Smyth (Bristol South) Chris Elmore (Tewkesbury) (Con) (Lab) Gavin Robinson (Belfast East) Sammy Wilson (Leeds North Chris Elmore (DUP) West) (Lab) Mary Robinson (Cheadle) Stuart Andrew Amanda Solloway (Derby Stuart Andrew (Con) North) (Con) Matt Rodda (Reading East) Chris Elmore Dr (Runnymede Stuart Andrew (Lab) and Weybridge) (Con) Andrew Rosindell (Romford) Stuart Andrew Alexander Stafford (Rother Stuart Andrew (Con) Valley) (Con) Douglas Ross (Moray) (Con) Stuart Andrew Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Chris Elmore Lee Rowley (North East Stuart Andrew Pancras) (Lab) Derbyshire) (Con) Chris Stephens (Glasgow Owen Thompson (Watford) (Con) Stuart Andrew South West) (SNP) Lloyd Russell-Moyle Chris Elmore Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) Stuart Andrew (Brighton, Kemptown) (Lab/ (Con) Co-op) Jo Stevens (Cardiff Central) Chris Elmore Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Ben Lake (Lab) Meirionnydd) (PC) Jane Stevenson Stuart Andrew Selaine Saxby (North Devon) Stuart Andrew (Wolverhampton North East) (Con) (Con) Paul Scully (Sutton and Stuart Andrew John Stevenson (Carlisle) Stuart Andrew Cheam) (Con) (Con) 509 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 510

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Bob Stewart (Beckenham) Stuart Andrew Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) Stuart Andrew (Con) (Con) Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes Stuart Andrew Matt Vickers (Stockton Stuart Andrew South) (Con) South) (Con) Jamie Stone (Caithness, Wendy Chamberlain Theresa Villiers (Chipping Stuart Andrew Sutherland and Easter Ross) Barnet) (Con) (LD) Christian Wakeford (Bury Stuart Andrew Sir (South West Stuart Andrew South) (Con) Devon) (Con) Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) Stuart Andrew Wes Streeting (Ilford North) Chris Elmore (Con) (Lab) Mr Ben Wallace (Wyre and Stuart Andrew Mel Stride (Central Devon) Stuart Andrew Preston North) (Con) Dr Jamie Wallis (Bridgend) Stuart Andrew Graham Stringer (Blackley Chris Elmore (Con) and Broughton) (Lab) David Warburton (Somerset Stuart Andrew Graham Stuart (Beverley and Stuart Andrew and Frome) (Con) Holderness) (Con) Matt Warman (Boston and Stuart Andrew Julian Sturdy (York Outer) Stuart Andrew Skegness) (Con) (Con) (Clacton) (Con) Stuart Andrew Zarah Sultana (Coventry Bell Ribeiro-Addy Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) Stuart Andrew South) (Lab) (Con) (Richmond Stuart Andrew Claudia Webbe (Leicester Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Yorks)) (Con) East) (Ind) James Sunderland (Bracknell) Stuart Andrew Catherine West (Hornsey and Chris Elmore (Con) Wood Green) (Lab) Sir (New Stuart Andrew Matt Western (Warwick and Chris Elmore Forest West) (Con) Leamington) (Lab) Sir Robert Syms (Poole) (Con) Stuart Andrew (Faversham Stuart Andrew and Mid ) (Con) Sam Tarry (Ilford South) Chris Elmore Mrs Heather Wheeler (South Stuart Andrew (Lab) Derbyshire) (Con) Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Owen Thompson Dr Alan Whitehead Chris Elmore Central) (SNP) (Southampton, Test) (Lab) Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con) Stuart Andrew Dr Philippa Whitford (Central Owen Thompson Gareth Thomas (Harrow Chris Elmore Ayrshire) (SNP) West) (Lab/Co-op) Mick Whitley (Birkenhead) Chris Elmore Nick Thomas-Symonds Chris Elmore (Lab) (Torfaen) (Lab) Craig Whittaker (Calder Stuart Andrew Emily Thornberry (Islington Chris Elmore Valley) (Con) South and Finsbury) (Lab) (Malden) Stuart Andrew Stephen Timms (East Ham) Chris Elmore (Con) (Lab) Nadia Whittome (Nottingham Chris Elmore Edward Timpson (Eddisbury) Stuart Andrew East) (Lab) (Con) Bill Wiggin (North Stuart Andrew (Rochester and Stuart Andrew Herefordshire) (Con) Strood) (Con) James Wild (North West Stuart Andrew Justin Tomlinson (North Stuart Andrew Norfolk) (Con) Swindon) (Con) Craig Williams Stuart Andrew Craig Tracey (North Stuart Andrew (Montgomeryshire) (Con) Warwickshire) (Con) Hywel Williams (Arfon) PC) Ben Lake Anne-Marie Trevelyan Stuart Andrew Gavin Williamson Stuart Andrew (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (Con) (Montgomeryshire) (Con) Jon Trickett (Hemsworth) Bell Ribeiro-Addy Munira Wilson (Twickenham) Wendy Chamberlain (Lab) (LD) Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) Stuart Andrew Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Con) (Lab) Elizabeth Truss (South West Stuart Andrew Pete Wishart (Perth and Owen Thompson Norfolk) (Con) North Perthshire) (SNP) Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge Stuart Andrew Mike Wood (Dudley South) Stuart Andrew and Malling) (Con) (Con) Karl Turner (Kingston upon Chris Elmore Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth Stuart Andrew Hull East) (Lab) and Southam) (Con) Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab) Chris Elmore Mohammad Yasin (Bedford) Chris Elmore Mr (North West Stuart Andrew (Lab) Cambridgeshire) (Con) Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con) Stuart Andrew 511 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote26 MAY 2021 Members Eligible for a Proxy Vote 512

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Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) Chris Elmore (Stratford- Stuart Andrew (Lab) on-Avon) (Con)

121WH 26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 122WH

people through the covid crisis. About half of this support Westminster Hall has been diverted from the businesses concerned into the relevant business, RVASurveyors, and there is not even Wednesday 26 May 2021 a service provided. It is a simple letter that is required; all these people do is send a simple letter to the local authority and that effectively diverts the relief. [MR PHILIP HOLLOBONE in the Chair] Dozens of cases are known to Members of this House. I think that 13 different Members of Parliament supported Business Rates Reduction Services a letter that I wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, of State and to the Insolvency Service. They include the 25 February). hon. Member for Walthamstow (Stella Creasy), whom I [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] am delighted to see here today, but also other Members who have expressed keen support for this debate, including 9.25 am my hon. Friend the Member for Rochester and Strood (Kelly Tolhurst) and my right hon. Friend the Member Mr Philip Hollobone (in the Chair): Welcome to for Tunbridge Wells (), who is detained at Westminster Hall from the Boothroyd Room. I remind other proceedings this morning. hon. Members that there have been some changes to the normal practice in order to support the new hybrid Dozens of cases are known to Members of this arrangements. Timings of debates have been amended House, but according to RVA’s own website, RVA has to allow technical arrangements to be made for the next about 10,000 clients around the UK, so I think it is safe debate. There will be suspensions between debates. I to assume that hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses remind Members participating, physically and virtually, have effectively been defrauded in this way.I can describe that they must arrive for the start of a debate in Westminster these people, RVA Surveyors, in no better terms than by Hall and are expected to remain for the entire debate. I saying that they are shysters, carpetbaggers, parasites. It must also remind Members participating virtually that is a simple con trick that they carry out, and this they are visible at all times, both to one another and to happened to one of my constituents, which is how my those of us in the Boothroyd Room. If Members attending attention was drawn to this particular issue.My constituent, virtually have any technical problems, they should email Jude Carter, who owns Dreams Hair & Beauty Salon in the Westminster Hall Clerks’ email address, which is Hunmanby, is a small businessperson. [email protected]. Members attending Imagine how it is when someone is busy trying to set physically should clean their spaces before using them up a business. These people use a freedom of information and before leaving the room. I remind Members that request to find out which premises qualify for small Mr Speaker has stated that masks should be worn in business rates relief and which are not currently getting Westminster Hall. that relief. They then call on that particular business. The businessperson is setting up the business, painting 9.26 am the walls, furnishing the place, getting ready for the first Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con): I beg to days of trading, and those people come in and say, move, “We can save you lots of money—just sign this form That this House has considered regulation of business rates and we will reduce your business rates.” reduction services. There are many business rates reduction specialists It is an absolute pleasure to speak under your that offer a perfectly bona fide service. They will measure chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I must first draw the the premises, argue with the Valuation Office Agency, House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ reduce the business rates and provide a service for Financial Interests. I am delighted to have the opportunity which they quite rightly should be paid. They provide to talk about this issue. This debate is obviously the fair terms for that reduction, and both the business most important event happening in Parliament at 9.30 this owner and the rates reduction specialists then benefit morning—no doubt we will not be distracted by anything from that reduction in business rates. That is a perfectly else that is going on. reasonable service to offer. This is a very simple issue. It relates primarily to one This is entirely different, because the small business single company, and I can describe these people as no rates relief is almost automatically provided for that better than a group of con men, who prey on unsuspecting business. All that business needs to do is notify the business people, usually very small SMEs—small and council that they are the occupant, that they qualify for medium-sized enterprises—and con them into signing a small business rates relief, and it will be automatically very unfair contract, which often is completed after the applied. It is a simple, standard letter. The measure is event, after they have met with the business person. The automatically applied and the rates relief from the contract that they tie them into, which is a very long-term Government is automatically provided. Anything up to contract, effectively diverts tens of thousands of pounds around £6,000 or £7,000 a year in small business rates intended to be Government support, Treasury support, relief will be provided to that business. to SMEs—usually smaller businesses—from them and However, some business owners are not aware that it into their own bank account. The company that I am is automatically provided. Those people go in and tell speaking about specifically is called RVA Surveyors. them, “We can reduce your rates bill—sign here.” They This is a company in Manchester run by a gentleman called offer a very long-term contract. In Jude Carter’s case, Stephan Hughes. she signed a 12-year contract, and she believes that the The support, of course, is small business rates relief, contract was amended after the event to become a which is supposed to be there for small businesses; longer-term contract. It was for a much shorter term, but indeed, it is the relief granted by the Treasury to help they changed it. 123WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 124WH

[Kevin Hollinrake] away with such tactics time and again, and the courts rule that the small business has to pay because a contract Jude Carter’s premises had rateable value of £6,300 a is enforceable. Even though the contract is patently year, which means, using the multiplier, that she should unfair, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which makes be paying around £3,000 a year. Small business rates provision for unfair contracts, does not apply to SMEs, relief applies, so there should be no rates at all for a so once a business—even a very small business that small business owner occupying those premises. RVA probably has all the hallmarks of a consumer—has signed just writes to the council and that small business rates a contract, it is enforceable, however unfair it is. relief is then applied, so Mrs Carter pays no rates. Some The only way to tackle the company and to try to £3,000 have been saved with a single standard letter, and challenge the contracts—closing the company would be the contract says that Mrs Carter owes RVA 52% of the most desired outcome—is through the Insolvency that saving. For one standard letter, for 12 years, she is Service. I wrote to the Department for Business, Energy paying 52% of the saving from which she benefits. and Industrial Strategy. I know my right hon. Friend Typically, over that 12-year contract, £18,000 has been the Minister will say that perhaps BEIS has a greater diverted. The Treasury wants that money to go to jurisdiction over this than the Treasury, and I wrote to Mrs Carter to help her run her business, to keep her in BEIS about this. My right hon. Friend the Business business, but it is being diverted to RVA. It is simply, Secretary wrote back and said that the Insolvency Service absolutely wrong. could deal with these situations where there is clear As I say, contracts are tampered with. Mrs Carter has evidence of corporate abuse, fraud, scams and sharp tried to get out of the contract, she has tried not paying practice. The Insolvency Service wrote to me and said the contract, but RVA has used many dubious tactics that it did not see the hallmarks of that in my case, to harass her into paying. They ring the premises and which astounds me. There is clear evidence of corporate speak to her or her staff, to say that the bills are abuse, fraud, scams and sharp practice. overdue, which causes some distress within the business itself. Nobody wants to think that their business cannot I should say that RVA Surveyors is not the only pay its bills, so time and again, Mrs Carter has to pay organisation involved in sharp practice. There are others, the bill, despite the fact that there is absolutely no such as SJ Associates. A simple solution would be to service being provided for that extortionate amount of extend the consumer protection laws in the Consumer money. Rights Act to include microbusinesses. There is a precedent for that because microbusinesses were, for example, It is usually the very smallest businesses that fall prey covered under the Financial Ombudsman Service, and to those tactics—and there are many cynical tactics that that has now been extended to larger small businesses. are employed. Those people forge signatures. There was In addition, the Financial Ombudsman Service has one court case presided over by Deputy District Judge jurisdiction over some elements of utility contracts Lynds in Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court. between microbusinesses and utility providers. There is That case, involving Stephen Snell, has been reported a precedent for extending the laws for microbusinesses, and Judge Lynds dismissed RVA’s claims. RVA will take which would resolve the problem, because the court people to court to enforce contracts. For reasons I shall would be able to look at the contracts, see that they are come on to explain, they are perfectly enforceable patently unfair and strike them out. contracts—that is, if they have not been forged. However, in this case, it was determined that RVA’s representative Another way to solve the problem would be to reform had forged a signature. The judge stated: business rates completely. I have talked to my right hon. Ordinarily I would not come anywhere close to make an Friend the Minister about that on numerous occasions. assessment of these signatures but it’s plain to me” I believe that business rates as they were first constructed that the signature did not bear any resemblance to are no longer fit for purpose. Businesses no longer trade Mr Snell’s signature, and he kicked the case out. There only or primarily from high street premises. The business is therefore demonstrable evidence of fraudulent activity world has moved on. Business rates, based on property, by that company.It uses other tactics as well. It completes were once seen as the right way to tax businesses, but I contracts after the event, as I believe it did with Mrs Carter, do not feel that it is the right way now. The Treasury is and it changes them to extend the length of the contract looking at this matter, and I know there is another or the percentage that it charges. When it charges 45% plus review. In the recent consultation, three solutions were VAT, that adds up to just over 50% of the benefit proposed: some kind of land value tax; an online sales received. tax; and an increase in VAT. The latter would be a much The company resorts to harassing owners and their better option than the current business rates system or staff, and there is evidence that it lies to the Valuation an online sales tax. Office Agency when it assesses premises. It works on a The difficulty with an online sales tax is that it would damages-based agreement. According to the law, a reason create more complexity by adding another tax to an for the charges has to be provided, but the company already very complex tax system. An online sales tax provides no reason, so it is debatable whether the contracts also assumes that businesses trade one way or the other should be enforceable in law. Nevertheless, the courts —online or through retail premises—when actually many generally enforce the contracts and make the small trade in at least three ways: online, through high street business pay the amount on the contract. premises and click and collect. An online sales tax We are aware of most of these cases because of a very would therefore require a business to think about how it good campaign by Andrew Penman, who writes for the sold a product, whether click and collect, online or Daily Mirror. He has covered many of these cases time through the high street, which would add complexity. and again and has highlighted RVA’s dubious tactics. A An online sales tax also assumes that retail is the only surveyor called Steven Simon is helping my constituent, sector affected by the move to online shopping, but that Jude Carter, with her case. Sadly, the company gets is far from the case. 125WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 126WH

Due to the opportunities of online activity, there are Like the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, I was many new competitors in various sectors, not least the contacted by a local resident absolutely at their wits’ restaurant sector, which sees more and more competition end dealing with RVA as a company. They have a small from dark kitchens using Deliveroo, Just Eat and others business with one or two employees—not a large for deliveries. In my business world—I am in the estate multinational—and are trying their best to understand agency business, as you know, Mr Hollobone—we have and navigate the range of regulations and rules that seen new online competition, too. An online sales tax they have to abide by, and to understand what they can may look from that retail perspective as if new competition do to give their business the best fighting chance. Six years is only for retail in the high street, but that is not the ago, like the hon. Gentleman’s constituent, my constituent case. was contacted by RVA and offered what appeared to be A much simpler way of levelling the playing field assistance. There are many different companies that between online businesses and high street or premises-based would offer assistance to small businesses that seem, on businesses is a simple increase in VAT. It would affect the face of it, to be helpful. It is not just about small everyone in the same way and, if we increased VAT by business rate relief; often it can be about recycling or about 4p in the pound, we could scrap business rates rubbish collection—all sorts of areas where there are altogether. Perhaps we could look at the VAT threshold different rules for businesses than for individuals. For a as well, which can be a barrier to some businesses small business, particularly a sole trader, having someone growing. With that, there would be no need for rates help them to get their head around them seems like a and therefore no need for rates relief, no need for rates blessing. Unfortunately, it was anything but a blessing. reductions and no need for the Valuation Office Agency The stories are very similar, which is why some of us and many of the rates specialists, who could move into havebeenexasperatedbythelackof reactiontothecompany the productive economy and do something far more —it has been going on for many years. My constituent constructive than, say, two surveyors arguing about the was contacted and told that they could reduce their rates on a particular property. It would settle the issue business rate cost; RVA visited the office and took once and for all in Parliament and create that fair and measurements—allegedly on behalf of the council, as level playing field for all businesses. The best thing is though it was part of a public service—and then billed that there would be none of the reprobates from RVA, the company for the savings on small business rate relief. because there would be no business for it to try to But those savings would have been automatically due to hijack, moving rates relief from a business to its own the company anyway.My constituent, not unreasonably, bank account. did not know the ins and outs of business rate relief. That is one way of solving the problem—but we need I am sure that if the Minister gave us all a test on it, to solve the problem. It cannot be right that we leave I would wager that the hon. Member for Thirsk and these smallest of businesses at the mercy of complete Malton would beat me, but even he would not know charlatans such as RVA. I therefore urge my right hon. everything about this scheme. To expect our constituents Friend the Minister to do what he can to persuade the who are setting up a business to know all that information Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is simply unreasonable. That is why I completely agree to get the Insolvency Service to look at this, close down with the hon. Gentleman when he uses the term “carpet- RVA and ensure that the relief that he has directed from bagging”. There might be some more choice terms, but I the taxpayer to small and medium-sized enterprises amveryconsciousthattheywouldnotbenotparliamentary ends up where he intended. language. My constituent is now part of a long-running legal 9.43 am battle with that company—I will limit what I say to Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op): It is a ensure that there is no issue for them but, like the hon. pleasure, as ever, to serve under your chairmanship, Gentleman, they have issues with the documents that Mr Hollobone. It is also a pleasure to follow the hon. appear to have been falsified and claims about signatures. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake), RVA claims that my constituent agreed to a seven-year who has been a doughty campaigner on this issue, and contract, when they only had a five-year lease on the rightly so. He said that 13 of our colleagues are affected. premises.It does not make any logical sense.My constituent I suspect there are many more but that they have not felt has had years of torture, causing real distress, through able to raise the issue. the court case and the impact on their ability to run their business at all. Let us be honest: we recognise that we may not be the main event this morning in Parliament, but these issues When people come to us—I am sure the Members are our bread and butter as MPs. They cut across the participating virtually have had the same experience—we political parties because a rip-off is a rip-off. When we want to help. I thought, surely, this is almost a police see companies preying on and exploiting our constituents, matter if fraud is involved. To find that this company is who are trying to do that most basic and important able to continue to operate to this day, ripping off thing of setting up businesses and being successful in businesses around the country, is deeply distressing. our local communities, selling a wide range of goods Like the hon. Gentleman, I have pursued this issue with and services to those communities, it inspires anger in trading standards in the area where the company operates, all of us and frustration that we cannot do something but I am told that they cannot act. Many moons ago I more quickly to help. I recognise that we may not be the scrutinised the Consumer Rights Act 2015, where we box office hit this morning that we would want to be, talked about providing a reasonable service at a reasonable but I agree with the Minister—consensus is breaking timescale for a reasonable price. None of that is reasonable. out—and I hope that we can make progress today on I am at a loss to understand why we cannot have stronger something with a longer lasting effect, because in some enforcement. We have not seen stronger enforcement, sense this should be a simple open and shut case. which is why this debate is so important. 127WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 128WH

[Stella Creasy] Kevin Hollinrake: May I associate myself with the hon. Gentleman’s words? Brian was a great man—a I hope the Minister is open. I know that he, like me great man who did much work for many businesses that and the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, would be could not fight for themselves, in the battle against aggrieved at seeing people ripped off. My constituent larger banks. He did a tremendous job, in his inimitable asks for a simple solution: she says that the small way.He was humble. It was never for himself. It was always, business rate should be automatic. Actually,the Federation as the hon. Gentleman says, for the underdog, fighting of Small Businesses has been talking about licensing an almost impossible battle. He had many a great success those companies, partly because, as I say, I do not think in that regard. the rip-offs are restricted just to companies talking about business rate relief. Small businesses, especially in Jim Shannon: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his the post-covid environment, have really struggled over intervention. His words resonate with my own. The family the past 18 months and are getting back on their feet, will be greatly encouraged by our comments. and they will desperately want help and advice about Itisapleasuretofollowthehon.MemberforWalthamstow how best to navigate the new environment that they are (StellaCreasy)andherreasonedandvaluablecontribution—a operating in. It is entirely reasonable for the FSB to call well-thought-out contribution, which we wholeheartedly for those companies to be licensed. Weshould be thinking support. She referred to cross-party support. I hope my about licensing business service companies so that we comments today will add cross-party support to the two can stop what the FSB itself calls cowboy practices. previous speakers. This is a matter for Government, not least because it I understand that the regulations for business rates is changes in Government policy that these companies relief are handled in a different way in Northern Ireland are exploiting. When changes in business rates relief than here on the mainland, and in Scotland, but the issues happen, these companies make their money; they make are the same. The ten-minute rule Bill regarding business their money in a way that undermines the very policy of rates means that we perhaps can and should take a the Government. Governments of all political persuasions UK-wide, holistic view of this matter. have tried to support small businesses. They are trying I read with great interest the comments that highlight to pass on money—they are trying to help small businesses the belief that business rates were designed for a bygone with their costs—yet, because of the practices of these era, where business went hand-in-hand with high street companies, they can inadvertently end up charging premises. The way we shop is now changing forever and them more, because the bill comes for the fact that the the coronavirus has exacerbated those changes. Online relief has changed. sales now account for 33% of all retail sales, compared I hope the Minister will listen and be not just sympathetic, with 20% only a year ago. but proactive, in calling to account the Insolvency Service, I have been very impressed with my local council in asking for an investigation into RVA, and in helping my constituency of Strangford, which is working with to shut down this awful company once and for all, as businesses on the high street to retain their presence well as in learning the lessons from this situation on while they enter online forums. I have seen businesses, how we can best support small businesses when it comes many of which were only able to open last week in to regulation. Northern Ireland, come to terms with the new click-and- collect era and other ways of doing business. As we have We cannot have a debate in this place without talking watched businesses roll with gut-wrenching punches, it about the B word, Brexit, and I always thought the concept has highlighted to me that perhaps we, too, in this place, of red tape and how much more of it might be coming must advocate for change that makes sense in the post-covid was ironic. Here is a very clear example of where removing world, where we are today. I see the wisdom, as I have red tape could really help to support our constituents seen many times in the past, of the rationale of the hon. and make sure that people are not being ripped off, if Member for Thirsk and Malton. I am interested to hear only we have the political will to do so. I genuinely hope more and learn more of the outworking of the proposals that the Minister will listen to this cross-party call for that I have heard from my respected colleague and friend, action and respond accordingly. as well as of those from the hon. Member for Walthamstow. When I read the Library briefing for today’s debate, I 9.51 am was dismayed but not shocked at the companies seeking to take advantage of struggling businesses who are Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): I thank the hon. appealing the rates. The scams were wide-ranging and Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) for intricate, and it is clear that the current system leaves highlighting the issue today. itself open for the kinds of abuses that both hon. I beg indulgence. The hon. Gentleman and I worked Members refer to—yet another indicator that something alongside an incredible person and I want to take a needs to change, and change soon. The FSB contacted moment to place on the record in this House the passing and asked me to put on record, as others have done, of a gentleman whose work was monumental on regulatory that they believe business rate companies should be issues. He was a good friend of mine and a good friend licensed to access business rates records on behalf of of the hon. Gentleman, and well known to many other businesses. There would be a low barrier to access, but a Members of this House. He was Brian Little. He was condition of the license would be to ban cowboy practices. one of my constituents, a good friend for nearly all my The hon. Gentleman for Thirsk and Malton’sintroduction life, and all his life as well—we were of a similar age. He used a lot of descriptive nouns for them without using was a passionate advocate for the underdog, well known any bad language, which I thought was quite good and I in this House in the realms of finance and reform. Brian really relate to that. Wecould probably think of other things will be sadly missed. His shoes are difficult to fill. I just which would be unparliamentary and not appropriate. want to have that on the record, Mr Hollobone. Nonetheless, it illustrates how we all feel. 129WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 130WH

While recent business rates reductions during the The hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton spoke very pandemicwerewelcome,toomanybusinessesfindthemselves eloquently,and clearly on the back of a significant amount with an unexpected bill from these companies. Their of work to find out his facts, for which I commend him, predatory payment tactics mean that where Government but he spoke about a problem that is not specifically about policy reduced the bill to nil, these companies claim the the regulation of one particular service; it is about business reduction as part of their work, and charge year on year. practices that are dishonest, predatory, unacceptable in Many businesses end up with a bill for £1,000 plus, when any circumstances, illegal in many circumstances and, the only change has been as a result of Government as Members have suggested, probably illegal in the policy. The Government does it, and they do it because circumstances that we have heard about today. that is their job. These guys come along and charge for I believe that such practices should be illegal, and it, when the Government does all the work. It reminds enforceable not only in the civil courts. There should be me of the cuckoo. Weall know what the cuckoo does—he circumstances where this behaviour crosses the line and jumps into the nest of another bird, eats all the food that is recognised as criminal activity, so that the directors of the parents give and has nothing to do with the parent the companies concerned can find themselves personally birds. These are cuckoo companies and in my opinion facing financial sanctions or even imprisonment for the deliver something that is totally wrong. Too often the damage that they are doing to other people’s businesses conditions are hidden in the trading terms and conditions. and livelihoods. I welcome the schemes in England, such as extra My concern about the way the hon. Member introduced targeted support packages for businesses and relief for the debate is that if we close down the opportunity for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, and the the shysters, to use his term, to exploit businesses by corresponding help in Northern Ireland. I put on record setting up fake business rates reduction schemes, it will my thanks to the Minister and the Government—my not take them a week to find a new way to scam other Government—for all they have done to help businesses honest businesses, or even the same honest business in the constituency of Strangford, and across the whole again—for example, the provision of telephone services. of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern A long-established and very well respected household-name Ireland. They have kept those businesses afloat and we business in my constituency was brought close to insolvency thank them for it. However, the fact of the matter is that by a telecoms scam. A business offered it a better deal businesses will need ongoing help. Rather than further on its phone systems than the one it already had. complex and detailed schemes, now is the time to overview and change the entire system, as the hon. Gentleman Many of the practices that the hon. Member mentioned for Thirsk and Malton referred to in his introduction. happened to my constituent, and to many others as There must be a genuine review of how we can support well—contracts being changed, documents being taken businesses to survive, maintain a presence, and importantly away and never returned, and customers not seeing the continue with job creation. I believe we will get a bounce contract that was being used against them in a court whenever we come out of lockdown, but we need to action. All the practices that will happen with dishonest continue that bounce right through into the months and business rates advisers will happen with dishonest telephone years ahead. When it comes to business, we have to play system salespersons, and with dishonest businesses in the long game, investing in small businesses, and knowing almost any sector of the economy that we look at. that in the end we will recoup every penny that has been Although I recognise that there are specific issues outlaid when jobs continue and taxes are paid in manageable about the way that business rates reliefs and reductions amounts to keep the business open and viable. operate that can provide an opportunity for dishonest In conclusion, I believe the suggestions of the hon. so-called advisory services, we need to look at it much Member for Thirsk and Malton are useful in moving more widely than simply that one service. There are forward, and I join him and the hon. Member for certainly legitimate questions about whether property Walthamstow in asking the Government to put serious valuation is the best way to assess businesses’ financial thought and manpower behind making this change for contribution to the whole community.There are legitimate the good of business, our economy, and consequently, questions about whether property valuation is the best the quality of life throughout the whole of the United way to tax individuals for their contribution to local Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. council services. There are certainly questions about whether it is sustainable that those are the only two 9.59 am taxes that most councils can vary to any extent in order to fund their services. Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP): I am pleased to begin the summing up in this debate. Like others who Those are discussions for a different day, possibly have spoken, it is clear that if there had not been other after the economy has recovered from the shocks of major attractions on elsewhere in the House, there covid and the subsequent lockdown. The difficulty that would have been far more people wanting to take part we face is that a lot of individuals have been persuaded in this debate. I presume that is why the hon. Member to incorporate their self-employed microbusiness as a for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) applied for limited company, and they did not realise when they did the 90-minute debate. In normal circumstances, I think it that they lost almost all the consumer protections that the 90 minutes would have been heavily over-subscribed. they had as an individual. I put it to the Minister that The initial title of the debate that appeared in the we might need to look at amending consumer protection business last week made us in the SNP wonder if it was legislation so that very small businesses have a degree of relevant in Scotland at all, as business rates, and everything consumer protection in the same way that we do as to do with them, are devolved. However, it is obvious individuals. that the concern is not so much about how the business Individuals get consumer protection because it is rates system operates in the different UK nations: it is recognised that we are smaller than the people trying to about the regulation of business practices in general. sell us stuff.Weoften do not have the resources.Wecertainly 131WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 132WH

[Peter Grant] Let us be clear about how some providers of so-called business rate relief services operate. As we have heard, cannot afford the lawyers that some of them can. That they claim that they will navigate through the local is why consumer protection legislation was introduced authority’s system on behalf of businesses and perhaps and has been amended. Is it time to apply the same play hard ball with the Valuation Office Agency to principle to very small businesses? Even though they are negotiate business rate relief for companies. Their claims, businesses, and all businesses in some ways are equal however, could not be further from the truth. In fact, in the eyes of the law, do we need to start introducing some of the businesses that need support most are special consumer protection legislation that applies to small lured—often on a no relief, no fee basis—into multi-year businesses, regardless of whether they are incorporated? contracts that entitle the service providers to a huge I welcome the Minister’s thoughts on that point. percentage of any business rates savings made by the For the record, when I have done some checks I have company. That results in astonishing and predatory found at least one person called Stephen Hughes who commission fees for arranging benefits that are often has run property-related companies in the Greater applied freely and automatically by local authorities. Manchester area. There are obviously a lot of companies Many businesses are entitled to small business rate with RVA or very similar sets of initials in their names. relief, and others in the retail, leisure and hospitality We have to make it clear that companies and individuals sectors receive grants automatically or can apply through who, simply by coincidence, have similar names to those their local council website. mentioned today are, as far as we can tell, completely To spell out what that means in practice, let me set innocent of wrongdoing. Nothing we are saying here out an example, using conservative values nowhere near should be taken to impugn the integrity of anyone other as bad as the worst cases that have been reported in the than the specific individual and business named today. media. Take a new small business with a rateable value of about £13,500—a nursery, perhaps, or a small café. Its I will bring my remarks to a close with a firm message business rate prior to any relief would be in the region for the Government: people who set up a business with of £6,750. Were it unaware that it was entitled to small dishonourable or dishonest intentions, simply to prey business rate relief, it might be tempted to contract with on legitimate, honest and hard-working small businesses a business rate relief service, which would promise to anywhere in these islands, should not be allowed to negotiate a discounted rate for business in exchange trade. If they are still allowed to carry out their nefarious for—again being conservative—say a 30% commission practices, regulation of those businesses is not strong on any money saved. The service might stipulate—again, enough—it has to be tightened, and it has to be tightened conservatively—a two-year contract, well below the five soon, before we see more valuable small businesses years or far longer that we have seen in the press or going to the wall. spoken about today. In the 2019 financial year, that business would have 10.5 am been entitled to a 50% deduction through the small business rate relief. In the following year, covid measures James Murray (Ealing North) (Lab/Co-op) [V]: Thank increased that to 100%. Over those two years alone, you, Mr Hollobone, for the chance to respond on with just a 30% commission, the provider of that so-called behalf of the Opposition to this important debate. I business rate relief service would take just shy of £3,000 applaud the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin off the new café or nursery. That is money that the new Hollinrake) for having secured the debate on the need to business was automatically entitled to and should have regulate business rate relief services and for drawing our benefited from, yet the service provider took it off that attention to the shocking and distressing detail of what business having added no meaningful value. happened to Miss Carter’s business in his constituency and of the wider appalling behaviour of RVASurveyors. That is a deeply unethical business practice; it is exploitative, and targets those who need the relief the I welcome the comments made by the hon. Member most. At present, these services are free to prey on for Glenrothes (Peter Grant) on the wider need for vulnerable businesses, because there is no regulation in action on predatory business practices, and those made place and perhaps because too many businesses are by my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Stella unaware of the reliefs they are automatically entitled to. Creasy), who added to the description of the shocking Although the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton behaviour of RVA Surveyors, reminding us that she is a disagrees with me fairly often in the Chamber, I have no tireless campaigner for businesses in her constituency. disagreement with him whatever in saying that there is I also recognise the comments of the hon. Member for no place for this kind of practice in the UK. I look Strangford (Jim Shannon), who mentioned the need for forward to hearing from the Minister what the Government business rates to be looked at more widely to reflect the intend to do about this parasitic behaviour, which can modern world and to support our high streets. do so much to harm small businesses. Our high streets are only just beginning to be able to I would also be grateful if, as the hon. Gentleman get back on their feet after more than a year of covid alluded to, the Minister would take the opportunity in restrictions in some form. Many of the problems they his response to set out his position on some of the wider face, however, did not begin when covid hit; they have challenges posed by the business rates system to small faced challenges in making ends meet since long before and medium businesses, particularly those on the high the pandemic started. In that context, it is shameful that street, which have faced difficulties for many years con artists should prey on the financial insecurity of in making ends meet. I am of course aware that the some small and medium-sized businesses at this of all Government have said that their final report on a times, and I am sure that all Members welcome the hon. fundamental review of business rates will be published Member for Thirsk and Malton bringing such concerning in autumn 2021, so perhaps the Minister can start by practice to our attention. confirming that this deadline will still be met. While 133WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 134WH recognising the promised publication date in the autumn, In cases where businesses are unsure about the rateable will the Minister none the less take this opportunity to value of properties, there are plenty of helpful resources update us on the Government’s thinking regarding any on the website of the Valuation Office Agency.For example, alternatives they are considering to the current system, I can go online and see a detailed valuation of No. 2, as introduced in 1988? Can he guarantee that high Marsham Street, which is the headquarters of the Home street businesses will benefit from the reform and that Office, and an explanation for how its valuation has online retailers will be asked to take on a fairer share? been reached. You will be pleased to know,Mr Hollobone, Finally,despite restrictions potentially—hopefully—being that it has rather a high valuation, as befits its position lifted on 21 June, we expect the impact of covid on in central London. businesses to continue beyond that date. Are there any If ratepayers are unhappy with their rateable value, circumstances in which the Minister would consider there is an online system known as check, challenge and extending the 100% business rate relief for a further appeal, which allows them to check the facts and, if three months beyond the end of June, as called for by necessary, to dispute the valuation that has been reached. the Opposition ahead of the Budget? This system was introduced to provide ratepayers with a As I have made clear, we agree with the concerns service that is easier to use and understand than its raised by the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton. He predecessor and that enables quicker resolution of cases. is right to raise them, and I hope the Minister will be An evaluation of the system last year found that it is clear about what the Government will do to tackle the working and that ratepayers are getting their cases parasitic behaviour of so-called business rate relief services. resolved faster, without the automatic need to make As he will know, however, business rates are in need of a appeals. comprehensive review, so I would welcome his also updating us on the Government’s latest position on the Rate reliefs are applied by individual local authorities, wider points I have raised. but most of these are automatic or require minimal information from the ratepayer. For example, transitional 10.12 am relief, which is used to phase in the effects of revaluations, The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jesse Norman): is entirely automatic. For small business rate relief, rate- I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and payers need only provide a little information about Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) for having secured this other properties on which they pay business rates, before important debate on a matter that is of considerable being able to claim. All rate bills must explain the various public interest generally,but also locally in his constituency reliefs available, and local authorities have many excellent and to those affected by this company. It is a pleasure to websites that explain how to claim those reliefs. speak in a debate that is not disfigured by party politics; Much of the £16 billion of relief that the Government all Members have made very constructive contributions, have provided to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors and I am grateful for them. in response to covid-19—this was picked up by the hon. I will start by expressing my sadness that, inevitably, Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon)—has been applied proceedings elsewhere in this House at the moment are automatically to rates bills. So there are many automatic going to be overshadowed by this very important methods of applying reliefs currently within the system. consideration of business rates. I only hope that the The relevance of that to the present debate is that there media will find some time to indulge Mr Cummings in is no reason why a ratepayer should have to use an agent his comments in between reporting on this vital topic. to claim rate relief. If they believe they are eligible for In a slightly more serious vein, I apologise that the relief, they should instead contact their local authority. Government have not been able to supply a Minister Of course, that is not in any sense to criticise people with specific responsibility for this area to respond to who have been found to be clients or would-be clients of the debate. As the hon. Member for Glenrothes (Peter the predatory organisations that have been highlighted Grant) rightly said, its focus is not on business rates— by Members in the debate. although there has been the occasional attempt to crowbar the rest of the business rates system in—but on the Let me pick up on the nature of some of the protections reduction services aspect that my hon. Friend raised. that exist within the system, of which there are several. That aspect is a matter of business regulation, and One is the rules that apply to business-to-business contracts therefore falls to the Department for Business, Energy and that arise from the Business Protection from Misleading and Industrial Strategy. He and the hon. Member for Marketing Regulations 2008, which prohibit advertising Walthamstow (Stella Creasy) have also focused on some that misleads traders. There is also the Misrepresentation individual cases of predatory practice by specific companies, Act 1967, which may also apply to business-to-business and they will understand that I cannot comment in any contracts, and which says that if someone has entered detail on specific cases. It would set a very bad precedent into a contract following misrepresentation by the other for a Financial Secretary to do so, given the connection party, they would be entitled to rescind that contract. to the tax system in a different context. Additionally, if they have suffered loss, they can claim damages against the other party. I think Members recognise that, at its core, the system of business rates is a relatively simple and straightforward Small businesses can seek help through other channels. one. Companies and individuals who occupy non-domestic If a ratepayer feels that there may have been illegal or properties are liable for business rates. The rates bill is fraudulent activity, they can choose to take court action, the product, in the literal, mathematical sense, of the as I understand a number of businesses have successfully rateable value of the property and the multiplier for the done in at least one of the cases under discussion. financial year concerned, offset by any rate reliefs. The Alternatively, my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk rateable value is set by the Valuation Office Agency and Malton mentioned the Insolvency Service, which and, broadly speaking, it is the rental value at a set date offers some protections, although they appear not to have —presently 1 April 2015. been availing in this case. 135WH Business Rates Reduction Services26 MAY 2021 Business Rates Reduction Services 136WH

[Jesse Norman] but there is a clear case to be addressed. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton for It is worth just picking up the point about consumer bringing it to our attention and for raising it with the protections. At present, the services are provided to the Government. I think the Government—across my businesses that I have described, and consumer protections colleagues and myself—need to consider what more can do not apply in the case that we have described. I note, be done, both by themselves and in their further discussions and my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton with local authorities. has argued, that microbusinesses share many of the characteristics of consumers, and he and other Members have therefore argued that they are worthy of protections 10.22 am in their own right. Members have highlighted the predatory practices of the companies they have discussed, which Kevin Hollinrake: I thank all hon. Members for their are, I am afraid, also exercised by a relatively small number support in this debate. Everybody made very well thought of other companies, and cause extreme distress to the through comments. I particularly thank the Minister. people who are affected by them. There is no doubt that this issue has arisen as an unintended consequence of the generous targeted support It is important to note that, in other markets—for fromtheTreasuryforsmallbusinesses.Verysmallbusinesses, example, financial markets—it has proved possible to generally, are then subject to predatory behaviour from differentiate between protections afforded to different the rip-off merchants, as has been mentioned by various kinds of people in the client relationship. Therefore, hon. Members today. In the case of Jude Carter, the there is a clear case here for the Department for Business, contract will divert £18,000—which the Treasury intended Energy and Industrial Strategy to revisit this area and to give to her in taxpayer support—from her to RVA. to assess what further protections can, in principle, be That is simply unacceptable. In many cases—hopefully provided. Let me conclude with a very simple message. not in Jude Carter’s case—that would be a matter of life or death for a business of that size; £18,000 is a huge Stella Creasy: I hesitate to stop the Minister in full amount of money over 12 years. flow, because it is very interesting to hear what he is saying. I just want to come back on a point he made Clearly, this is a scam. It is disappointing that the about businesses being entitled to rates relief automatically. Insolvency Service has chosen not to investigate. It did Of course, that does require businesses to know about write back to me, saying that, despite the fact that it that. I agree with him, and I think we all agree, that does have jurisdiction over scams of this nature, it found differentiating between businesses—often small businesses no grounds on which to take further action within its —and consumers does not make any sense in terms of powers. It is very surprising that the Insolvency Service the expectation of protection, which is the reason why will not act in this clear case of abuse by a business of we have consumer regulations. other businesses. It has the power to close down this business. It has the power to strike off directors. I hope However, might he be convinced that it would be it will listen to the debate and act. It has decided to look helpful in these instances for Government to be proactive at the issue again—it recently wrote to me asking for in telling people that they might be entitled to rates more information about hon. Members who have such relief? One reason why this company has been able to cases—so I really do hope it will act. exploit people is a lack of awareness of the scheme. Although the Minister may feel that it is relatively I appreciate the comments from my right hon. Friend straightforward, for a new business, the idea that there the Minister. This is a specific case, but there are other might be some things that do not have to be paid and cases of predatory behaviour inflicted on microbusinesses. others that do adds complexity. Is there a case, perhaps, I am very heartened to hear what he said. There is a in the absence of the further consumer protections we good case for extending the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are talking about, for requiring local authorities, when to cover microbusinesses, which would resolve this problem, they send a bill, to say, “Most small businesses would be because I am sure that these contracts would be struck entitled to rate relief, and therefore it is worth your time out by the court on the basis of the very unfair terms. I investigating”? think there will be other contracts, under which small businesses are subjected to unfair behaviour to persuade Jesse Norman: I thank the hon. Lady for her question. them to sign, where the courts could intervene to prevent I have already said that all rates bills are required that behaviour from happening in the future. to explain the various reliefs available and that local I thank all hon. Members for their contributions to authorities have, in many cases, excellent websites that the debate, and I hope we can make more progress. explain how to claim the reliefs. Of course, the fact that Question put and agreed to. reliefs in the cases I have described are automatic means that they flow through in and of themselves. That is a Resolved, very attractive feature, where that can be engineered That this House has considered regulation of business rates into the system. Where it cannot, it is for good reasons, reduction services. and it may not be possible. I do not think it is right to suggest—I do not think anyone who has participated in this very thoughtful 10.25 am debate would suggest—that there is any easy fix here, Sitting suspended. 137WH 26 MAY 2021 Istanbul Convention: Position of the 138WH UK Government Istanbul Convention: Position of the in Europe, try to change the law first, before ratifying UK Government the treaty. It is a simple issue: we try to get the law right in this country.Let us look at some of the other countries that have approached ratification. Ireland signed it in 11 am 2015 but did not ratify it until 2019. Luxembourg signed Mr Philip Hollobone (in the Chair): I remind hon. in 2011 but did not ratify until 2018. There is often a Members that there have been some changes to normal long period during which treaties are discussed and the practice in order to support the new hybrid arrangements. law is changed, but it is such a great shame that the rest Members attending physically should clean their spaces of Europe does not follow our advice and change the before using them and before leaving the room. I also law in order to get the treaty right. That is certainly remind Members that Mr Speaker has stated that masks something that I have put to the group; and the group, should be worn in Westminster Hall. to a person, completely agrees. That is an important point to remember. John Howell (Henley) (Con): I beg to move, The Minister, in her evidence to the House of Lords, That this House has considered the Istanbul Convention and said that we have gone further in what we have implemented the position of the UK Government. than the treaty requires. It would be useful to have how It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, we have gone further on the record, so that I have a Mr Hollobone. There is an urgency to this debate, which piece of paper that I can wave—if that does not create I will come on to explain, but one of the primary concerns too much of an impression of Neville Chamberlain—and of the Council of Europe, representing 47 member can say, “This is what we are really doing.” countries and about 800 million citizens in those countries, The Council of Europe convention on preventing is to safeguard and protect human rights. Violence, and combating violence against women and domestic particularly violence against women, including domestic violence, known as the Istanbul convention, protects violence, undermines the core values on which the Council women against all forms of violence. It obliges countries of Europe is based. to prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence, including The urgency of this debate comes about for very good domestic violence, against women. reasons, and just let me say that I initiate the debate, as the leader of the UK delegation to the Council of Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): I thank the hon. Europe, in order to highlight the problems that we have Gentleman for securing the debate. I am always interested with regard to the Istanbul convention. Those reasons in his debates because he highlights issues that I am stem from the fact that the Turkish Government have particularly interested in, so I thank him for that. This decided to withdraw from that convention. People may House has just passed the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, think it very strange, as it is called the Istanbul convention, and I believe we have done a great job on that. The Act that the Turkish Government have decided to withdraw addresses compliance with article 44 in relation to from it, but also the Polish Government appear to be extraterritorial jurisdiction. However, there are issues giving indications that they wish to withdraw from it. I with our treatment of women migrants and spousal think that this is a very serious challenge to a particularly visas, for example, that we must seek to address—not to important treaty of the Council of Europe, which I will sign off on the convention, but simply to do the right come on to in just a second. thing by these sometimes very vulnerable women. Does The reason the UK becomes involved in this is that the hon. Gentleman agree? the Turkish delegation has been saying, “What do we care about this? Look at the UK. A founder member John Howell: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his and grand payeur of the Council of Europe has signed intervention, and I agree with him. We need to do the the convention but not even ratified it. If they haven’t right thing, but the right thing in this case is to ratify ratified it, what use is it and why are people getting on the treaty. The treaty sums up the whole approach to the to us?” That is something that we should take a strong protection of women, and it is the treaty that right across stand against, because, as I am sure my hon. Friend the Europe provides women with the confidence that they Minister will come on to say, we have been doing a lot in have protection. order to ratify it. The convention also establishes a specific monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation of its Mrs Maria Miller (Basingstoke) (Con): I commend provisions by individual countries. It is worth stopping my hon. Friend for calling this debate today, because it for a moment to look at what the convention covers. I was back in 2012 that the UK Government signed the have a list, which I hope is comprehensive, of the things Istanbul convention, demonstrating their real commitment it covers: stalking; sexual harassment; sexual violence, to tackling violence against women and girls. I join him including rape; physical and psychological abuse, including in urging the Government to set out when the ratification at the hands of intimate partners; forced marriage; process will come to a head, because I agree that it is forced sterilisation; female genital mutilation; and forced deeply concerning that other countries might be taking abortion. In all of those areas, as far as I can see, we the lack of ratification as a sign that they do not have to have already done quite a lot to be able to take the be as cognisant of the treaty as they should be. treaty forward. If we think of the work that we have done against female genital mutilation, for example, we John Howell: I thank my right hon. Friend for her have been setting a lead across the European continent. question. What I would point out on that is, first, that it Not only women and girls suffer domestic violence. is a question that I would like to put to the Minister, Parties to the convention—the countries that have ratified and I am sure that she will want to comment on it, it—are encouraged to apply the protective framework during her reply to the debate, and say something about that it creates to men too, so that they are covered by the the timetable. But we in this country,unlike many countries convention, because they, too, suffer violence. 139WH Istanbul Convention: Position of the 26 MAY 2021 Istanbul Convention: Position of the 140WH UK Government UK Government [John Howell] On those three areas that we are not yet reaching—I think the Minister will agree—the UK has clear measures The purpose of this debate is to hear from the Minister on how to address those gaps in the law. It would be what we have done, what we are doing and what we are useful for her to set out how we are dealing with them. likely to do, and to hear a bit about the timetable for The convention is really important. We signed up to that. The Governments that have ratified the convention it in absolute good faith in 2012. We have wanted to go agree to take a number of steps. They agree to train beyond the convention and I have commented on that. professionals so as to have close contact with victims; to However, I hope that Members will treat the Minister regularly run awareness-raising campaigns; and to take kindly, because she has been a great champion of the steps to include issues such as gender equality and convention. Building on the recommendation for the non-violent conflict. They agree to have a go at resolving protection of women against violence, the convention the issue of interpersonal relationships in teaching materials for the first time in Europe sets out a legally binding and to set up treatment programmes for perpetrators standard to prevent violence against women and domestic of domestic violence and sex offenders. They agree to violence, to protect the victims and to punish the work closely with non-governmental organisations and perpetrators. That is a very important element for us to civil society in general. rejoice in, and to be able to take forward. Most importantly, those Governments agree to involve Violence against women seriously violates and impacts the media and the private sector in eradicating gender on, or nullifies, the enjoyment by women of their human stereotypes and promoting mutual respect, because rights, and in particular their fundamental rights to life, preventing violence against women and domestic violence security, freedom, dignity, and physical and emotional should not be left simply to the state alone. It is important integrity.It therefore cannot be ignored by Governments—I that all members of society, men and boys in particular, am not suggesting that this Government are ignoring it; should help in that process in order to make a good stand. I am simply stating that as a fact that comes out of this treaty. Governments must recognise that such violence When preventive measures have failed and violent affects not only women, but society as a whole, and that incidents have happened, it is important to provide victims urgent action is required to take this forward. With those and witnesses with protection and support. Some examples remarks, I leave it to the Minister to respond, because I of the measures set forth in the convention include know that she has to appear in the House of Commons granting the police the power to remove a perpetrator shortly, and I want to give her time to be able to give of domestic violence from his or her home in situations this issue a good outing and to make her meeting. of immediate danger.There is a whole list of other activities recommended by the convention. 11.16 am The convention also recommends that countries have The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home to introduce a number of new criminal offences, if they Department (Victoria Atkins): As always, Mr Hollobone, do not already exist. Those include psychological and it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I physical violence,and laws against sexual violence,including congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Henley rape, stalking, female genital mutilation and those other (John Howell) on securing this important debate on the areas, as I said. Istanbul convention. I pay tribute to his leadership on the Council of Europe in many areas, but in particular The Minister kindly spoke to the House of Lords in the area of tackling violence against women and girls International Relations and Defence Committee a little and the Istanbul convention. We signed the convention while ago, setting out a lot of what we are about. She in 2012, signalling our strong commitment to tackling said that we are complying with the convention and, violence against women and girls, and we remain absolutely indeed, exceeding the requirements of the convention in committed to ratifying it as soon as possible. all but three areas. I would like her to set out how we are However,before I discuss the United Kingdom’sprogress exceeding the convention, because that would be helpful. towards ratification, I will take a moment to address The three areas that she mentioned were psychological Turkey’s recent decision to withdraw from the convention. violence,extraterritorial jurisdiction and non-discrimination We are very disappointed by this action and have, relating to refugee or migrant residency status in the UK. alongside our partners, publicly urged Turkey to reconsider Northern Ireland is not yet compliant with article 33 its position. My hon. Friend the Minister for European of the treaty, but it will be once the new domestic abuse Neighbourhood and the Americas has raised Turkey’s offence in its Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings regrettable decision with the Turkish ambassador and Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 is implemented by the her Turkish counterpart. The UK has also endorsed Assembly.I understand that will come before the Assembly statements of criticism by UN Women, the Organisation again to be sorted out, probably in the autumn of this for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s permanent year. council, and the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for The issue is of enormous concern to us and to our Henley has been equally tireless in raising his concerns, European allies. A lot of work has been done, but I including through the report that he presented to the want to press on the Government that, as soon as we Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe last possibly can, we should ratify the treaty. One of the month about the functioning of democratic institutions biggest pieces of work to take the treaty forward is the in Turkey. Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which has done so much to turbocharge what we as a country are doing to tackle John Howell: I should just add that I am also the some of the individual crimes against women and girls. rapporteur on Turkey for the Council of Europe. This is Domestic abuse affects about 2.5 million adult victims a major issue that we bring up time and again with the in England and Wales, so it is a big activity to target. Council of Europe, in order to make sure that Turkey 141WH Istanbul Convention: Position of the 26 MAY 2021 Istanbul Convention: Position of the 142WH UK Government UK Government knows what it is doing on this— because it was done by towards ratification. The only exception to that timescale presidential decree—and to get it to reverse its decision, will be extraterritorial jurisdiction for psychological violence if we can. in Northern Ireland. That brings me to the second issue, which the hon. Victoria Atkins: Very much so. It is not acceptable for Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) has addressed— Turkey to seek to excuse its own actions by referencing namely, article 33 and psychological violence. Unlike other countries, including the United Kingdom; it is England, Wales and Scotland, Northern Ireland is not responsible for its own decisions. In fact, we are proud yet compliant with article 33, because it does not have that the United Kingdom is recognised around the in force an offence that criminalises psychological violence. world as a global leader in tackling violence against The Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern women and girls. We are delighted to be co-leading the Ireland) 2021, which became law in March and should new Generation Equality Forum’s global action coalition be implemented by the autumn, provides for a new on gender-based violence. We will use this platform to domestic abuse offence that would criminalise psychological protect and promote the safety and rights of women violence in Northern Ireland. Extraterritorial jurisdiction and girls in all their diversity, and call for all member for that offence will be implemented at the same time, states to remain committed to international conventions, representing the last piece in the jigsaw for article 44. including the Istanbul convention. Once that offence is implemented, the UK as a whole However, as my hon. Friend rightly said, the United will be fully compliant with article 33—the second Kingdom insists on implementing measures and laws significant milestone towards ratification. before ratifying international conventions, and that is The final outstanding area concerns migrant victims the approach we have maintained while considering this of domestic abuse and relates to articles 3, 4 and 59. In convention. We have in play some of the most robust April last year, I announced that the Government were measures in the world to protect women and girls from committing £1.5 million in this financial year to fund violence and, in all but three respects, we comply with, the support for migrant victims scheme, in order to or indeed go further than, what the convention requires. provide protection and support for vulnerable migrant victims who are unable to access public funds. The Mrs Miller: I am listening very carefully to the Minister’s scheme launched in April and is intended to run until argument, and she is absolutely right to say that, as a 31 March 2022. The Government will use this pilot scheme nation, we want to make sure that we sign up only to to better assess the level of need for such victims, and to things that we know we can adhere to, but this is a treaty inform evidence-based long-term funding and policy that was signed in 2012—almost a decade ago. Leaving decisions. Therefore, the compliance position for those such a long time before ratification allows countries articles is under review,pending the evaluation and findings such as Turkey to take other meanings from the delay for the support for migrant victims scheme. that has occurred in the UK. I understand the frustration that we have not yet been Victoria Atkins: In a little while, I am going to encourage able to ratify the convention. I can reassure hon. Members countries to follow our lead on some of the measures that we are doing everything we can to ensure that we have taken, including in the Domestic Abuse Act ratification happens as soon as possible within that 2021, in which my right hon. Friend played such a vital context, and I must emphasise again that we are taking role in her work chairing the joint Committee that significant action to tackle violence against women and scrutinised the draft Bill. I will address the timeframe in girls, including going further than the convention requires a moment. us to do in many instances. Indeed, I hope other countries The Domestic Abuse Act 2021, to which colleagues will look at what we have achieved in the Domestic of different parties have referred in their contributions, Abuse Act 2021 and non-legislative measures. Perhaps, will transform the response across all agencies for victims dare I say, they will follow our lead. For example, only and their children. We have also introduced new guidance last year we launched the successful #YouAreNotAlone for professionals, as well as a range of new protective campaign to ensure that victims of abuse, and people tools, such as protection orders for FGM, stalking and worried about friends and family, know how to access forced marriage. As my hon. Friend the Member for help and advice. As of March, the campaign is estimated Henley set out, the range of crimes, and the range of to have reached 35 million people. forms that violence against women and girls can take, is Another example: in January, we launched the Ask very wide and very harmful. As I say, however, there are for ANI codeword scheme to support victims of domestic three outstanding issues to address before we can comply abuse, with around 5,000 pharmacies participating. This fully with the convention. scheme alone has already helped more than 70 victims The main obstacle delaying our ratification has been and their families to escape domestic abuse. Throughout compliance with article 44, which relates to extraterritorial the pandemic, our absolute priority has been ensuring jurisdiction. All parts of the United Kingdom need to that victims can continue to access crucial support obtain the power to prosecute their nationals and residents services. We have provided more than £28 million to for certain violent and sexual offences committed overseas. domestic abuse organisations, including boosting helplines, The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 includes the necessary web services and refuges, and we have provided additional provisions, which will make all parts of the UK compliant funding to help victims of sexual violence and modern with article 44. I am pleased to inform the House that slavery, as well as vulnerable children. the extraterritorial jurisdiction provisions for England However, we want to go even further. Since 2010, we and Wales will be implemented automatically on 29 June, have created two new stalking offences, criminalised and I understand that Scottish and Northern Irish forced marriage, and committed to reviewing the way in Ministers also plan to commence their provisions within which the criminal justice system responds to rape. a similar timeframe. That will be a significant milestone Later this year, we will publish a new violence against 143WH Istanbul Convention: Position of the 26 MAY 2021 144WH UK Government [Victoria Atkins] Support for Children Entitled to Free School Meals women and girls strategy, which will help us to target perpetrators and support victims, while enhancing our ability to tackle emerging crime types, such as revenge [DR RUPA HUQ in the Chair] porn and other online offences. Our determination to listen to women and girls in order to shape our strategies— 2.30 pm both violence against women and girls and tackling Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): I remind hon. Members domestic abuse—is proven by our decision to run the that there have been some changes to normal practice in first-ever public survey on violence against women and order to support the new hybrid arrangements. Timings girls. of debates have been amended to allow technical Following the tragic events earlier this year, during arrangements to be made for the next debate, and there which thousands of women and girls shared their own will also be suspensions between debates. I remind experiences of violence against women and girls, the Members participating physically and virtually that they Home Secretary reopened the public survey so that must arrive for the start of debates in Westminster Hall, more people could contribute to this vital work. I am and they are expected to remain for the entire debate. I pleased to tell the House that that survey has received also remind Members participating virtually that they around 180,000 responses, which anyone who keeps an are visible at all times, both to one another and to us eye on Government surveys will appreciate is an extremely here in the Boothroyd Room. high level of response. I am incredibly grateful to everyone If Members who are attending virtually have any who took part in that survey. Their contributions are technical problems, can they email the Westminster Hall being analysed and will be absolutely invaluable in Clerks? I think everyone was emailed with the instructions helping us to shape this new strategy, as well as the specific this morning, but the address is westminsterhallclerks complementary domestic abuse strategy which we are @parliament.uk. Members attending physically should publishing later this year. clean their spaces before they use them, and as they On the progress of the Istanbul convention, as required leave the room. I think there are baby wipes for everyone. by law, we will publish our next annual progress report Mr Speaker has also reminded Members to wear masks on ratification of this by 1 November. On the details of in Westminster Hall unless they are speaking; the Chair where we are complying and exceeding measures, our is exempt, because we may need to speak at any time, most recent ministerial statement sets out details of the but apart from me, everyone should have their mask on. convention. I would very much like to thank my hon. Members can only speak from a place with a microphone, Friend the Member for Henley for raising these important but I think everybody is in the right place. issues, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke and the hon. Gentleman for Strangford for 2.31 pm their contributions. I am grateful to them for allowing Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab): I me the opportunity to address the Government’s position. beg to move, Question put and agreed to. That this House has considered support for children entitled to free school meals. 11.28 am It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sitting suspended. Dr Huq. The UK is a rich country. As a G7 nation with a GDP that many countries can only look at in envy, we simply must do more to provide for our own citizens and combat the ever-increasing levels of child poverty. With huge wealth in many parts of the country and an economy with the most potential in Europe, we can do far better than we are, and MPs should not need to apply for debates such as the one we are having today. However, across the country and in this very city, the richest 1% live a gilded life, a handful of streets away from the most deprived neighbourhoods in the most unequal areas. We live on the same streets; we walk the same streets; but we inhabit different worlds. We are a deeply unequal society, and the fact that so many families rely on the meagre support available from the state to feed their children is nothing short of a national outrage. It is a clear demonstration that our economic system is not working for so many. In some local authority areas, child poverty is reaching 50%, while the wealth of the richest 1% has grown exponentially.As per The Sunday Times’ rich list, printed last Sunday, the richest man in the country saw his wealth grow by £7 billion last year, while in my own borough of Haringey, some 8,000 children—a staggering 29%—rely on free school meals. That figure has increased by 1,700 over the past year. The Trussell Trust has said that 145WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 146WH Free School Meals Free School Meals over 50% of those using its food banks had never used are admitted to hospital in the UK. With a rise in free one before this year, so we are seeing a huge increase. school-meal entitlement because of grinding levels of Some 1 million eight to 17-year-olds visited a food bank child poverty, this is no surprise. in the months of December and January—I would like Problems with teeth can have an impact on a child’s the Minister to dwell on that for a moment. We see this ability to sleep, concentrate in school or develop good stark inequality among many families in every part of speech and language skills. We need to take action and London, and not just in London: people are relying on be bold in our approach through a less threadbare welfare state support to feed their children, not through any system and a more generous system of school meals fault of their own but as a damning indictment of the provision. We also know the importance of action before soaring cost of living and the broken economic system. school, such as breakfast clubs. As a former council Families are facing above-inflation increases in water leader, I wanted to know which schools did not have a and fuel bills and the Government’s council tax increases, breakfast club so I could ask them to put one on. Not and family budgets are at breaking point. only do they help working families to have children in Outside London, Labour analysis has shown that the school on time and have an early start, they also show number of children eligible for free schools meals has that where breakfast is of a high quality,it helps enormously increased in nearly every region and nation of the UK. with academic achievement and concentration. Teachers It would be wrong to say that this rise in entitlement is say that, with good nutrition, children’s behaviour is purely down to the pandemic. Analysis released in March good right through into the afternoon. My hon. Friend by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown that the Member for Barnsley East (Stephanie Peacock), child poverty had been increasing for six years before who used to be a teacher, will confirm that. Likewise, the pandemic hit, with three quarters of children growing after-school activities should provide healthy options up in poverty being from a working family. That is because, for some children who are in school for many, because many people are being paid paltry national many hours, this could be the only hot meal—at lunchtime minimum wage levels. Where families get the London and then in the afternoon—that they might have, so it is living wage, or the living wage outside of London, it incredibly important. increases the likelihood that they will be able to pay for Members in this House have championed the need to nutritious food. The shadow Education Secretary, my address school holiday hunger, and I hope that the hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston national food strategy will focus the minds of Minsters (Kate Green), is right to say that feeding kids is not a on that, so that we address what is going to be a very half-time activity—a reference to Marcus Rashford. long break this summer, with many people on really low What is also clear beyond any doubt is the wider and incomes. life-long impact of the poverty and deprivation faced by I will conclude soon, but I am sure the points that I children eligible for free school meals. While these children have made are abundantly clear. In response to the very will have support during school hours, for other parts of good debate earlier this week on a similar topic, I will the week and throughout the year when they are not in make a short point. We do not want to make this school, they face going hungry and their attainment, particular topic very party political. We want everyone health and prospects will suffer. As the chair of the to pull together, but sadly when the Prime Minister all-party parliamentary group on school food, my hon. mentions that child poverty is reducing, and we know Friend the Member for Washington and Sunderland that child poverty is not reducing, that is when it becomes West (Mrs Hodgson), has shown in this House over a political. When a footballer has to lead the charge number of years, statistics have repeatedly shown that because many MPs vote against children having nutritional this has a serious impact on the rest of a child’s education, food during the school holidays that is when it becomes with far lower numbers of those on free school meals something that really hits home, and something we must attending university, compared with their peers who do something about. are not. In conclusion, this is the prescription for the levels of child poverty that we are seeing: first, to make the Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP): £20 universal credit uplift permanent; secondly, more The hon. Lady has outlined the fact that child poverty help for families with fuel bills, water bills and council is rising, and has been rising for a number of years. In tax; thirdly,high-quality debt advice—too many households light of that, does she share my shock and disappointment rely on buy now, pay later financial products, which that today at Prime Minister’s questions, the Prime quickly become unaffordable; fourthly, help with housing Minister said that child poverty was falling, showing costs—too many families spend over a third of their that he does not actually understand the scale of the income on expensive rent payments. Shelter, the charity problem, much less how to fix it? that specialises in housing, recommends no more than 35%, but far too many families are spending way over 35% on Catherine West: I thank the hon. Lady for her housing payments, which does not leave enough to pay intervention. I am not sure whether it is ignorance, or for food. Fifthly, childcare costs: if a family has two not wanting to tell the truth. All who have signed up to children in childcare, the cost is often more than rent, so this debate know what our inboxes are showing, what that needs to be urgently addressed. our constituents tell us when they walk in the door, and Britain’s children deserve better. We have the wealth we know that things are getting worse. One of the poor in our society to deliver a better society for all our health outcomes is on people’s teeth. Research from the citizens. We need a Government with a heart to act. I British Dental Association has shown that 11% of children implore the Minister to do her utmost to address this in England have tooth decay by three years old, which full-on. We must not sit on our hands; it cannot take rises to 23% by the time they are five and reaching school. any further debates or votes in Parliament. Do what is Even though this is completely preventable, it continues right. Work with us and implement the policies that we to be the No. 1 reason why children aged five to nine need to be a real and noticeable help to families. 147WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 148WH Free School Meals Free School Meals 2.41 pm 22% to £597 billion. Given the extensive range of faith Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley East) (Lab): It is a pleasure and community organisations engaged in food bank to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, delivery in my constituency alone, even these shocking Dr Huq. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for figures from the Trussell Trust do not give a complete Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West) on securing picture of food bank usage in Leicester. The actual this important debate. figure is much higher. Before coming to this place, I was a schoolteacher. One way to limit the reliance on food banks is to I saw first-hand the impact of free school meals. Access ensure that children receive the food that they need at to a healthy meal can make such a difference to a child’s school, as is the case in countries such as Sweden and learning and health. Over the last year, we have all seen Finland that provide universal school meals for all. In headlines about holiday hunger and the fact that too Leicester East, over 7,000 school-aged children were many children go hungry in the school holidays, as living in poverty before the coronavirus pandemic hit, families struggle to meet the rising cost of living throughout yet only 3,300 were eligible for free school meals. That the pandemic. means that nearly 4,000 children in Leicester East were not eligible for free school meals, despite living below In my constituency, 25% of 0 to 15 year-olds live in the poverty line. That will have worsened during the poverty. Take a moment to consider that statistic: a pandemic, especially as there are now 11,113 children quarter of children in Barnsley live in poverty. More trapped in poverty in my constituency. than 3,000 children are currently eligible for free school The current free school meals threshold is very low, meals. As has been mentioned, the Trussell Trust has requiring an annual income of £7,400 or less. This reported that almost 1 million emergency food parcels means that two in five children living below the poverty were given to children in the last year alone—a 36% rise line do not qualify for free school meals. The Government on the previous year. We should take this opportunity are happy to fork out millions to private consultants to praise Marcus Rashford for his work to highlight the and large companies, yet balk at the prospect of issue, and for shaming the Government into a U-turn guaranteeing food for vulnerable children. I believe that on their decision not to feed hungry kids during school the Government must follow Marcus Rashford’s holidays. It should not require a public shaming for that campaigning, and significantly widen access to free to happen, and it is telling that not a single Tory MP is school meals and improve their quality. The temporary here for the debate, other than the Minister who is extension of free school meals to children from families required to be here. with no recourse to public funds must be extended Last week, I visited the holiday hunger project run by further, and this callous policy must then be scrapped Barnsley Council, to see the great work it is doing with for good. the help of volunteers. Barnsley Council is committed Some 4.3 million children are living in poverty in the to providing good quality food hampers that meet its UK, which is nine children in every classroom of 30. In school meal standards. The good food boxes are provided my constituency of Leicester East that is almost one in by the council’s in-house school catering service. Almost two children, as 42% of children are living in poverty. 10,000 children were eligible during the Easter holidays. These figures have become entrenched because of the Of that number, more than 2,000 families applied for a policy choices that have been made, yet the pandemic box, and 4,000 boxes were put together. That was a has also caused a sharp rise in food insecurity. Some huge task for the council, but it could only reach 42% of 12% of households with children experienced food children. Sadly, the number of eligible children is only insecurity between August 2020 and January 2021, and set to rise. The Government are funding only half the that figure includes 2.3 million children. holidays, leaving the rest of the burden on already cash- Children enduring food insecurity during term time strapped councils such as mine in Barnsley. My council are at increased risk of food insecurity during the has stepped up to the challenge and delivered for our school holidays, especially in families who are forced to children, despite having its budget cut by 33% since attend food banks. The Government must make their 2010, and despite the financial burden of covid-19. holiday food schemes both more generous and permanent. Without urgent and direct action, the problem will only The Government must extend and increase the uplift to get worse. universal credit, scrap the two-child limit and remove 2.43 pm the benefit cap. A long-term, more universal and generous benefits policy must be considered, alongside introducing Claudia Webbe (Leicester East) (Ind) [V]: It is a a statutory right to food for everyone in the UK. pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq. I I volunteer with many food banks in my community congratulate the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood and I know, from first-hand experience, the incredible Green (Catherine West) on securing this important debate. selflessness that is involved. While they are currently When it comes to what should be a primary role of necessary due to widespread poverty in Leicester and Government—ensuring that our children have enough across the country, the overreliance on food banks is a food so they can concentrate in school—this Administration symptom of our unacceptably unequal society. It is should be ashamed of themselves. Recent figures published appalling that in one of the world’s richest countries by Trussell Trust show that nearly 10,000 food parcels workers are paid poverty wages and are forced to live on were delivered in Leicester over the past year, of which the generosity of others. It is even worse that not all more than 2,000 went to children. The most shocking children who are living in poverty are eligible to receive statistic is that the number of food parcels delivered to a proper meal at school. I urge the Government to work adults increased by 303% between March 2020 and with us on this side of the House and fight for a future March 2021. For children, the increase was 166% during that is built around solidarity and dignity for every the same period. During the same period during the child, no matter their background, in which poverty, pandemic, the wealth of UK billionaires increased by child hunger and food banks are a thing of the past. 149WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 150WH Free School Meals Free School Meals Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): Patricia Gibson will be My constituency office in Newtownards is one of the speaking at the end of the debate as one of the Front-Bench bodies that hands out vouchers for food banks and we spokespersons, so I call Siobhain McDonagh. are told that we are the biggest contact point for the food banks in the constituency. It is important that we Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab): I recognise how critical food banks are for people in the am sorry, Chair, but I wondered if I could be delayed area. Larger families are also at particular risk, with slightly? 39% of families—two in five—referred to food banks in early 2020 having three or more children. In the general Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): We have Jim Shannon, population, just one in seven families—14%—has three who has just made it over from the main Chamber. Are or more children. That gives an idea of how that particular you ready, Jim? category is affected. The figure has risen from 36% since 2018, which suggests that those with three or more 2.49 pm children may be at particular risk due to policies such as the two-child limit and the benefit cap. A colleague of Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Thank you, Ms Huq. my good friend the hon. Member for North Ayrshire It is an absolute pleasure to speak on this issue. I have and Arran (Patricia Gibson) has spoken on so many applied to speak in such debates a great many times but occasions about the two-child policy, and I support her they have always unfortunately been over-subscribed. on that. I thought that if the opportunity came my way today, I would certainly try to make a contribution. I have said I want to give a quick plug for the Education Minister this many times, and I think it is probably the same for in Northern Ireland and what he did by making sure us all as elected representatives: one of the things we that food vouchers were available in schools. That was always reflect in our speeches is our own constituency a Rashford campaign, but our Minister responded issues, and child poverty and free school meals has been immediately.Perhaps we should look towards the summer a massive issue through the lockdown period in my to put ourselves in a position where we are able to offer constituency. continuity should there be a need for that help. I am clear that the Minister does not have responsibility It is imperative that we retain free school meals and for back home, but I want to reflect those comments in expand the remit for longer. We must invest in the next the debate. I must say—she will know this—that she generation. I know that the future is about my five and I share the fact that we were both born in Omagh in grandchildren—two are at school; three are yet to get County Tyrone, so we have got something that unites there—and everyone else’s grandchildren, so I believe it us. Indeed, more than one thing unites us, but sharing is the wisest investment that we can make, and I support the same home town is one of them. the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West) in her calls for that. I very much look forward to Of all the resources this great nation has, our children hearing the Minister’s response. are the most important. Indeed, their education must be paramount, and a part of that education is ensuring 2..55 pm that children can concentrate and are well fed. In many Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab) [V]: Although it is cases we are, unfortunately, failing some of those children. a real pleasure to be able to speak today, it is disturbing My home town of Newtownards—the major town of to be speaking in a debate about children going hungry, the constituency of Strangford—was the first place in especially as the UK is the fifth richest country in the Northern Ireland to have a Trussell Trust food bank. It world by GDP.A quarter of the country’s wealth is held has become an integral part of everyday life for many by a mere 1% of the population, however. That is an people in Strangford, and indeed across the whole of absolute shame. That is why, in 2021, I and other Northern Ireland, where there are now 13 or maybe Members are still having to call on the Government to 15 major food banks plus a lot of smaller ones. In the keep children fed during the school holidays. last year, almost 1 million emergency food parcels were The issue of food poverty goes well beyond children given to children: a record high and a 36% rise on the relying on free school meals; it affects our whole community. previous year. That is higher than the increase for Indeed, it is a crisis of the Government’s own making. adults, which stood at 32%. It is therefore obvious that Cuts to funding have resulted in a reduction of local the issue for children is even greater than for adults, but authorities’ spend, which has meant the loss of youth in many cases the adults will ensure that the children get services and children’s social services. The cuts have also the first crack of the whip. reduced the third sector’s capacity to deliver services The number of emergency food parcels provided to and, in some cases, the ability of those services to exist children by food banks in the Trussell Trust network at all. In my borough of Lewisham, the council has to was already rising year on year before the pandemic hit. make additional £28 million of cuts for this coming I see the food banks as a plus for the area and not year,after 11 difficult years of austerity.Schools desperately necessarily as a negative, because they unite all the want to support families in need, but they have also had Departments and bring church groups, individuals and their own budgets decimated. people who want to help together, and through the food Members have already heard this, but they will hear it banks they can give some of the help and assistance again: the Joseph Rowntree Foundation writes that that is needed. The figures for 2020-21 represent a 135% increase in need compared with 2015-16. Single “food poverty is just poverty” parents and larger families are at particular risk of and that the only way to solve poverty is needing to turn to a food bank. Single-parent households “with better jobs, affordable homes and strong social security.” are highly over-represented at food banks, with 90% of I agree. Too many adults continue to struggle through households in early 2020 being single-parent families—more jobs that are high effort but low income. Indeed, food than twice the proportion in the wider population. banks in my constituency, like those in other Members’ 151WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 152WH Free School Meals Free School Meals [Janet Daby] of the National Audit Office in March was utterly damning. The Department for Education did not even constituencies, have seen a rise in users and people aim to provide equipment to all children who lacked it. suffering from in-work poverty. Those people may have Every click simply widened the attainment gap. So much two or three jobs, but still have little security and measly for levelling up! wages. They are struggling, their families are struggling, With schools open and lockdown lifting, this is no and the people around them are struggling. problem of the past. The days of pen and paper are Universal credit’sinitial five-week delay to benefits harms long gone, and the technological age we now live in is families by presuming that debt is the norm. That was here to stay.Homework, research, resources, catch-up—so ludicrous at the beginning and remains ludicrous now. much is now online. The consequences for those children Universal credit works against women as it is only paid on the wrong side of the digital divide is that they are into one person’s bank account, and its two-child limit now even more disadvantaged than before. discriminates against families. Child Poverty Action Group This afternoon, we debate the support that should be estimates that childcare costs have risen by 42% since provided for children entitled to free school meals. I say 2008, but child benefit has not risen accordingly. With to the Minister that support must be about more than rising rents in London and higher energy bills as a result just food. I am calling for all children entitled to free of the pandemic, families repeatedly have to make school meals to have internet access and an adequate sacrifices to make ends meet. Many parents are themselves device, so that they can log in and catch up from home. I going without food so that they can feed their children. recognise that free school meals are not a perfect indicator, That is a miserable and cruel situation for any parent, but it is the best we have. Compared with the vast sums but it is not inevitable. The last Labour Government squandered through the pandemic, this is a low-cost, brought 900,000 children out of poverty. We can do it straightforward and tangible step forward. It is no silver and we must do it, so why are we not doing it again? The bullet, but it would make a life-changing difference to real question is this: why have this Government chosen children on the wrong side of the digital divide. to keep children in food poverty? Take 10-year-old Abi in my constituency.In lockdown, Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): From south-east London she secured entry to the Tiffin Girls’ School, one of the to south-west London, and from the virtual world to most prestigious grammar schools in the country. She the Boothroyd Room, I call Siobhain McDonagh. was working from a cramped homeless hostel, with only a refurbished smartphone to get her connected, one 2.58 pm of 140 given to me by Tesco Mobile. Social mobility, Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab): levelling up—call it whatever you want—the impact for Thank you for your indulgence, Dr Huq. I congratulate Abi was lifelong. my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Catherine West: I put on the record my hon. Friend’s Green (Catherine West) on securing the debate. At the excellent work on the digital divide during the pandemic. heart of this issue, Marcus Rashford scored the most It was right at the beginning, when highlighting it made important goal of his career, using his platform to such an impact. Of course, we all jumped on it when she highlight that food poverty is not restricted just to school raised the matter, but I wanted to put on the record the term times. It was a campaign of which any left winger huge impact that had for so many children and learners wearing red would be proud. in our society. A debt of gratitude is owed by so many I will argue that support for children who are entitled families to her work. to free school meals should be about far more than just the food, because when schools closed, it was not just Siobhain McDonagh: I thank my hon. Friend. So lunch that disadvantaged children missed out on, but many people got involved in providing devices, such as connectivity.Through the lockdown, millions of children football clubs like my own AFC Wimbledon, which has started the day with Joe Wicks’ online exercise classes. now donated more than 2,000 refurbished laptops. I They completed schoolwork sent remotely by their teachers, thank all those charities that did such work. While it and they joined their classmates in live remote-learning was brilliant work, however, it cannot be enough—the lessons. It was not perfect, but it was an extraordinary Government need to step in. feat, achieved thanks to the dedication of our teachers I hope that the Minister will consider the merits of and to the support and patience of home-schooling my proposal to provide devices and an internet connection parents. However, the lockdown exposed the digital to all children on free school meals. I would be delighted divide in our society. to meet her to discuss how it could be rolled out in practice. About 30% of private school pupils attended four or It took the intervention of a premier league footballer more online lessons per day during the first lockdown, for Ministers to agree that no child should go to bed but just 6.3% of state school pupils did the same. That is hungry.What will it take before we all agree that no child no surprise considering that one in five children did not should be left behind because of their internet connection? always have access to a device for online learning while schools were closed. How does the Minister think those Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): A good bit of lateral children logged in and learnt from home? The simple thinking in that speech, but it made it worth the wait. answer is, they did not. Those without have fallen behind We now come to the three Front Benchers. We start with even further. the SNP. The Government’s roll-out of devices was nothing short of shambolic: 5% of teachers in state schools 3.4 pm reported that all their students had a device, compared Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP): I with 54% at private schools. The Minister may point to am glad to be able to participate in today’s important those devices that finally were distributed, but the conclusion debate about support for children in receipt of free 153WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 154WH Free School Meals Free School Meals school meals, and I thank the hon. Member for Hornsey able to work to re-enter the job market, it seems that the and Wood Green (Catherine West) for securing it. What system is not fulfilling that goal: otherwise, there would we are really talking about, of course, is child poverty, be no five-week wait for support. There would be no and only on Tuesday, we had quite a similar debate to advance payments, which force those who eventually the one we are having today. During that debate, I receive universal credit and are therefore living on, or pointed out the chilling similarities between welfare beyond, the breadline to be deemed capable of paying arrangements as they are today and the kind of support back these advance payments, throwing claimants further that was offered to the poorest in society in the 1834 and further into financial despair and further and further new Poor Law. I know that some people will scoff at away from the job market. that comparison, but I am willing to sit down with I have said this to the Minister before, so it will not anybody and talk them through the similarities, which surprise her to hear me say it again: no reputable lender are striking. would lend money to somebody on universal credit, As delighted as I am to see the Minister in her place, because they understand that they do not have the it is quite telling that when we have debates about child means to repay that loan. However, the DWP is quite hunger and child poverty,no Minister from the Department happy to lend money to claimants in the full knowledge for Work and Pensions is prepared to stand up and that their attempts to repay it will put them in deep defend the policies of their own Department. Those financial distress. Why on earth would anyone design a watching, as well as those participating, will draw their system along those principles? own conclusions from that fact. Even now, in 2021, we know about the disgrace of We know that for some children, the free school meal children in our communities going to school hungry. that they receive during the school day may be the only We know that free school meals are really important, proper meal—the only hot meal—they will have on that but we also know that we need to do more to address particular day. We also know that only one third of the deep poverty too many children currently live in, children who claim free school meals achieve five or and we know it goes well beyond the material. Most more good GCSE grades or equivalent, compared with children living in poverty have at least one parent in two thirds of children whose families are in better work, and I wonder whether the Minister is at all disturbed circumstances.This is not surprising, given that underneath by that. the free school meal figures is the more pernicious Although we lack the political will in the Westminster challenge of child poverty, which free school meals Government, we also know that there are things we can alone cannot even begin to address. do to address some of the really pernicious problems In Scotland, the SNP Government are expanding that are aggravating and fixing child poverty in a very free school breakfasts and lunches to every primary stubborn way. We could replace advance payments, school pupil and every child in state-funded special which are loans that people cannot pay back without schools. That way, there is no stigma, and no child will real hardship. We could get rid of the five-week wait. fall through the net. Best Start food payments across We could also actually talk about a real living wage as Scotland are increasing to £4.50 a week, and eligibility opposed to the wee, pretendy living wage currently will increase by about 50%, to all in receipt of universal trumpeted by the UK Government. credit. I do not know whether anybody in this debate shares There is a tale of two Governments here, because my shock and horror about the Prime Minister saying while the UK Government scrapped targets to reduce today in Prime Minister’s questions that child poverty is child poverty, the SNP Government in Scotland have falling. One of the many reasons why that is so disturbing set ambitious targets to work towards eradicating child is that, only this week, the DWP released figures showing poverty. The Scottish child payment of £10 a week per that 4.3 million children were living in relative poverty child for those on qualifying benefits will increase to in the UK in 2019-20—an increase from 4.1 million in £20 a week per child, assisting 450,000 children across the previous year. That amounts to one in three children Scotland, a measure that the Child Poverty Action Group —31% of children—living in poverty. Those statistics in Scotland has paid tribute to. predate the pandemic, so we know that the figures are Meanwhile, the UK Government’s mean-spiritedness even higher as we sit in this Chamber. is laid bare as they refuse to commit to retaining the We also know of the serious impact that living in £20 uplift in universal credit for the poorest families, poverty has on children’swellbeing. Disadvantaged children and scrap targets to reduce child poverty while presiding are four and a half times more likely to develop severe over a rise in it, with a Prime Minister who—it gives me mental health problems by age 11 than their well-off no pleasure to say this—does not even seem to be aware peers. Children in poor housing are more at risk of that child poverty is rising. That will not inspire confidence respiratory illnesses and meningitis. Those in the most in my constituents in North Ayrshire and Arran, nor, I disadvantaged areas can expect 20 fewer years of good would imagine, in any other constituency. health than children in places with more resources and While the SNP Scottish Government are doing all affluence. I wonder whether the Minister finds that as they can to tackle this social ill with all the limited disturbing as I do. powers that they have, 85% of control over welfare is We know there is a direct correlation between poverty reserved to the Westminster Government. That is where and under-attainment at school, so if we do not tackle the real solutions can be found, if there is the political child poverty with every weapon in our armoury, we will to implement them. However, we know that the can forget tackling the attainment gap. As we have current welfare system does not fulfil its avowed aim. heard, school closures during the pandemic have hit the Apart from the fact that in the past year, the Trussell most deprived children hardest, and will undoubtedly Trust delivered a food parcel every 2.5 minutes, if the widen an already worrying attainment gap, especially in goal of welfare is to support and assist those who are the short term. I look forward to hearing what new and 155WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 156WH Free School Meals Free School Meals [Patricia Gibson] providing free school meals over the October 2020 half- term through to Easter this year. They presided over a additional poverty measures the Minister thinks can be moment of national shame in January, when utterly brought forward in view of the decisive impacts that woeful food parcels, which were near-identical to the poverty has on educational attainment. Government’s own guidance, were given out, and then Not tackling poverty is a significant cost to the state, they voted against Labour’s motion to ensure that families so I hope that the Minister’s plans for preventive spending get the full value of that support. to tackle child poverty will be revealed to us today, Just contrast us with Wales, where families have because that would be the wisest and most humane known from the start of the pandemic, and many course of action. months ahead of time, that the full value of free school meals would be available in every upcoming school 3.13 pm holiday, and that is now guaranteed until Easter 2022. That is the leadership that we should have seen from the Tulip Siddiq (Hampstead and Kilburn) (Lab) [V]: It is Prime Minister, who instead picked a fight with a a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq, for premier league footballer. It astonishes me that, after all the first time. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for that failure and the uncertainty that the Government Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West) for securing have put families through, they have still not learned the this important debate, and for her powerful speeches lessons and are still refusing to guarantee free school today and at the debate on Monday. She is right that it meals in the upcoming summer holidays. is a national outrage that our country is so unequal, with an economic system so broken that so many parents I know that the Minister will point to the holiday are forced to rely on inadequate support from the state activities and food programme, but the Government’s to feed their children, despite their best efforts. guidance on that scheme says that councils should I really regret the fact that not a single Conservative provide just 16 days’ of food support over the entire MP has chosen to speak in today’s debates. Yet, a few six-week summer holiday.It does not say that that support years ago, this very same room was packed with should be guaranteed. The Local Government Association Conservative Members who wanted to defend Donald has said that Trump’s right to a state visit. With over half a million “the scheme is unlikely to see all eligible children participate and children qualifying for free school meals since March will not be suitable for everyone.” last year, a debate on this support has never been more I am extremely concerned that many children will miss important. Free school meals are often the only hot out on that if they do not do the activities, and that meal that some children get all day, and they are a there will be a postcode lottery in support. That is lifeline for many families who are struggling to make especially concerning in the light of the deep cuts to ends meet, as my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley local government budgets, the impact of which my hon. East (Stephanie Peacock) set out so clearly, drawing on Friend the Member for Lewisham East (Janet Daby) her experience as a teacher in a previous life. The huge spelled out so clearly in her powerful speech. rise in free school meals eligibility is therefore very The failure to deliver free school meals is not the only significant and further evidence of how devastating way in which the Government have let down children covid-19 has been for family budgets. who qualify for this support. Children on free school There was a very real and growing problem with child meals are less likely to have digital devices and internet poverty in this country before the pandemic, and we connectivity than their peers, and there has been a have seen today the new, shocking statistic that more failure to rectify that for home learning during school than one in five Londoners in working households live closures and self-isolation. Ministers have missed every in poverty. We also heard powerful testimony from my single target for delivering laptops. Their schemes ensured hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Claudia that only a third to a half of those who needed one got Webbe) about the huge increase in food parcels delivered one, and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member by the Trussell Trust in this pandemic. The fact that for Mitcham and Morden (Siobhain McDonagh) for more than 2 million children have now been pushed into her contribution, and her tireless campaigning for children food insecurity and that hundreds of thousands have on free school meals to get digital support. been forced to skip meals in the pandemic has really Most recently, and perhaps most shockingly, the shone a light on the need to ensure that proper free Government implemented a stealth cut to the pupil school meal support is delivered to all children who need premium by excluding anyone who became eligible for it all year round. freeschoolmealssinceOctoberlastyearfromthecalculation However, that realisation, which has been obvious to of how much more to give schools. Labour analysis of pretty much everybody,particularly after Marcus Rashford’s freedom of information data shows that more than powerful campaigns, has not come as easily to Government 115,000 children will miss out on over £133 million of Ministers. I am sad to say that they have had to be support as a result. There is no end to the ways that this dragged kicking and screaming time and again to do Government are prepared to sideline the needs of some the right thing. I do not take any pleasure from this, but of the most disadvantaged children in the country. the Prime Minister’s right-hand man told us today that I have a series of questions for the Minister. Why did his boss decided to “pick a fight” with Marcus Rashford the Prime Minister pick a fight with Marcus Rashford over free school meals rather than take action to feed over free school meals? Why on earth are the Government hungry children in a pandemic. implementing a cut to the pupil premium in the middle What did the Government do? They initially refused of a pandemic? Why will they not simply guarantee that to extend free school meals over last summer, when all children who qualify will be able to get free school millions were being forced to apply for unemployment meals over the summer holiday? Why are the Government benefits. They whipped Conservative MPs to vote against refusing to consider Labour’s suggestion of allowing 157WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 158WH Free School Meals Free School Meals families to get cash payments for this support? Are they free meal support for families on welfare benefits. However, still planning to withdraw free school meals support in England, we provide free school meals and milk to from children who have no recourse to public funds at the children of those who are out of work and on the some point? Finally, what steps are they taking to lowest incomes, and we have our national school milk support children who do not qualify for free school subsidy scheme, universal free milk provision to all meals but who, none the less, face food insecurity? infant schools and our breakfast club programmes. We The point was made several times in the debate that, also have the school fruit and veg scheme, which we in a country as rich as ours, we should not need free jointly fund with the Department for Health and Social school meals. At the very least, children should not be Care and, of course, our fantastic holiday activities and as reliant on them as they are right now. Sadly, they are food programme. a necessity because 4.3 million children in the UK live These days, the use of cashless payments in schools is in poverty. For far too many people, work does not pay normal. It is widespread, which means that free school enough to live on. The Government spent 10 years meals pupils are not identifiable among their peers, gutting the social security system, and our economy is which helps to remove decades of stigma. In terms of built on insecurity and inequality. All those things are wider support, the Government are completely committed getting worse as a direct result of policy choices over the to levelling up for not only adults but people of all ages. last decade. We need to start making different choices That includes helping to raise the educational attainment as we emerge from the pandemic. of pupils from all income backgrounds, and especially The Government need to show the moral courage those from lower-income backgrounds. We therefore and leadership required to eradicate child poverty and ensure that those in greatest need of support have every ensure that no child goes hungry. That starts with the chance to realise their potential. Investing in education Government learning the lessons from mistakes that led is a key route to levelling up the playing field for all, so to children having to skip meals in the pandemic. I hope our pupil premium fund is additional support for children we will hear some humility from the Minister when she who have claimed free school meals at any point in the addresses our arguments. I look forward to her answering last six years, as well as children and young people who all the questions posed throughout the debate. are in care or who have recently left care. In 2020-21 alone we distributed £2.4 billion through 3.22 pm the pupil premium, and that supported almost 2 million The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education disadvantaged children across the country.School leaders (Vicky Ford): It is a pleasure to serve under your know their pupils best, and schools have the autonomy chairmanship, Dr Huq. I understand that at least one to use the funding in the most effective way for their Member had endeavoured to speak in this debate, but learners.That can include a mix of educational interventions had technical challenges. I thank you for raising that and pastoral support. We know that working in that issue with the Speaker’s Office so that we can address it way has had a real impact on attainment. Against a for future debates. background of rising school standards, disadvantaged I thank the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green pupils have been catching up on their non-disadvantaged (Catherine West) for securing this important debate, peers. The attainment gap has narrowed at every stage which enables us to continue the debate that we started from early years to age 16, and the majority of pupils on Monday.I said then, and I repeat, that this Government from lower-income backgrounds now attend a good or are absolutely dedicated to supporting all children and outstanding school. Our education reforms and the families, especially the most vulnerable. That is even focus provided by the pupil premium have supported that more important during the pandemic, which has brought improvement. so many challenges to so many people. From next year we will base the pupil premium on During term time, the Government provide more the October 2020 census instead of the January one, than 1.6 million free school meals, providing pupils which will provide schools with greater certainty about from the lowest-income families with a free, nutritious future funding levels earlier in the year, helping them to lunchtime meal. That helps them to concentrate, learn plan ahead. It also brings the pupil premium in line and achieve in the classroom. The Government have with how the rest of the core schools budget is calculated. extended free school meal eligibility to more children However, the change does not mean that the pupil than any other Government in the last half-century. We premium is decreasing. On the contrary, we expect pupil extended free school meals to all children in their infant premium funding to increase to more than £2.5 billion years, and to eligible children in further education institutes. in this financial year. As a result we expect a typical Last year, we expanded that free school meal offer to school to see an increase in pupil premium funding many families who normally have no recourse to public from the last financial year. In addition, the £300 million funds whatever. recovery premium will be paid out for the same pupils As well as free school meals at lunchtime,the Government as the pupil premium. fund breakfast clubs in more than 2,450 schools in the The Government also use the schools national funding most disadvantaged areas of the country. That supports formula to distribute mainstream school funding more more than a quarter of a million children. We have just fairly by looking at the needs of schools and their pupil announced another £24 million to continue that successful cohort. In this financial year, 2021-22, the funding is support for even more children. increasing by 3.5%, or £1.27 billion. The NFF continues The hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran to target funding to schools that have the greatest (PatriciaGibson)talkedaboutthedevolvedAdministration’s numbers of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, approach in Scotland. School food and free school providing £6.4 billion in funding for pupils with additional meals are fully devolved, and all the devolved nations needs in this financial year, or 17% of the formula’s have a range of different food provision in place, including total funding. On top of that, we are providing the 159WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 160WH Free School Meals Free School Meals [Vicky Ford] largest in the world, and that was on top of an estimated 2.9 million laptops and devices already owned by schools largest cash boost to schools in a decade, with core school before the start of the pandemic. We have provided funding increasing by £2.6 billion in the last financial extra funding for local transport authorities to procure year, by £4.8 billion this year, and by £7.1 billion in the dedicated additional transport capacity to enable children year ahead. That also includes significant additional to travel to school and, in addition to the usual funding funding for children with special educational needs and that schools receive for free school meals, during the disabilities. period when school attendance was restricted, we funded Members who have spoken in the debate might be almost £0.5 billion of food vouchers, so that children interested in the impact on their own constituencies. continued to be able to access free lunchtime meals The national funding formula allocation this year while learning from home. has increased in Hornsey and Wood Green by 2.3%, or Right now, our focus is on building back better. We £2.7 million; in Barnsley East by 4.5%, or £2.8 million; announced the £1 billion covid catch-up package last in Leicester East by £3.5 million, or 3.4%; in Mitcham year, which has already enabled schools to directly and Morden by £0.8 million, or 1.3%; in Lewisham East tackle the impact of lost learning. Some £650 million by £2.1 million, or 2.7%; and in Hampstead and Kilburn was distributed directly to schools. In addition, the by £1.2 million, or 1.9%. £350 million national tutoring programme specifically Beyond the classroom, we also fund free home-to-school targets the most disadvantaged young people and enables transport for children eligible for free school meals. them to access high-quality small group or one-on-one Because we know that families also welcome support tuition, which we know helps accelerate academic progress during the school holidays, I am delighted that our and will help them to tackle the gap between them and holiday activities and food programme has been expanded their peers. across England for 2021. I completely refute the allegation One example is the Nuffield early language initiative, by the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn (Tulip which supports children in reception year, to which 40% Siddiq), who speaks for the Labour party, that the of schools have signed up. The majority of those are Government had to be dragged kicking and screaming schools with above average rates of free school-meal to do something for children in the holidays. We started eligibility. Nearly a quarter of a million children are these programmes three years ago. We have been piloting being screened under the programme, and 60,000 children them, perfecting them, working out what parents and are getting that one-on-one or small group help. It children want. It was a manifesto commitment of this makes a massive difference to those children at the start party that we would increase holiday wraparound care, of their education journey and it is just one part of this and that is why we have introduced them. The programme amazing national tutoring programme. launched in Easter and will run across England during The hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green asked the summer and Christmas holidays year. It provides about support for other bills. As well as the furlough engaging and enriching activities for children across the scheme and more than £7 billion in covid-related welfare country. measures, the Government have provided an additional £260 million of local welfare funding to local authorities Siobhain McDonagh: Was Marcus Rashford making in England. The key focus is to support disadvantaged it up, then? Did he have nothing to do? Was it just children and their families, including children who have something in his own paranoid state of mind? not yet started school, with food and other essentials, such as the utility bills that the hon. Lady mentioned, Vicky Ford: The holiday activities and food programme, during both term time and school holidays. It covers which we announced, during the spending review—this food and fuel, and it keeps children and their families is a really important point—had been piloted by this warm and well. Governmentforthreeyears.Wehadamanifestocommitment In terms of childcare bills, over the past decade we to launch it, and we have launched it and delivered it. It have made unprecedented investment in childcare. We is being funded by this Government and has been delivered introduced 30 hours of free childcare for many three in every single local authority in England. and four-year-olds from working families, which can We are working hand in hand with Conservative save parents up to £5,000 a year. The 15 hours of free councils, with Labour councils, with Liberal Democrat childcare for two-year-olds from lower-income families councils, with councils with no overall control, with is also a significant help.Weknow that when a two-year-old independent councils,even with a Green council. Weshould attends an early years setting it helps them to develop not play party political games with holiday activities social skills and communication skills that can set them and food, which are vital not only to our children’s food up for life. but also to their educational attainment, because we Catherine West: Can the Minister tell us whether the know that when children are engaged in enriching activities UK has the most expensive or the second most expensive during the summer holidays, they come back more childcare in Europe? ready to learn in September and it helps to close that attainment gap. I ask hon. Members to get behind these Vicky Ford: We have also introduced many other clubs, work with their local areas, go and volunteer, take different measures to help with childcare, for example part and enjoy the children having fun. the tax-free childcare that people can use. We want to During the pandemic, the Government have taken ensure that our childcare is of very high quality, which exceptional steps to support children to learn when they is really important to parents, but the cost of childcare are in the classroom, but also when they had to stay at and of other bills continues to be an issue that we will home. More than 1.3 million laptops were delivered. It keep looking at. That is why colleagues at the Department was a massive procurement project, at times one of the for Work and Pensions are doing additional work on 161WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 Support for Children Entitled to 162WH Free School Meals Free School Meals the support we can give to reduce the cost of living for 3.41 pm families from different backgrounds. The In-Work Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab): Progression Commission, which is led by Baroness Ruby Thank you, Dr Huq, and I am sure I can keep my remarks McGregor-Smith, is looking at this exact issue, to better to under five minutes. understand the barriers faced by people in low pay and to look at what more we can do to support those Recommendation 1 of the Government’s food strategy individuals and businesses. That report is expected to be was to published shortly. “make sure a generation of our most disadvantaged children do not get left behind”. The hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green Eating well in childhood is the foundation stone of mentioned support for families who get into debt. I am equality of opportunity, and it is essential for both pleased that after many years of planning this month physical and mental growth. A poorly nourished child we have seen the launch of the breathing space scheme, will struggle to concentrate at school, and the debate which will help many hundreds of thousands of people has fleshed out that concept a lot. Unfortunately, the who are struggling with their finances to obtain bespoke, Minister’s winding-up speech did not give me much tailored support to help them get back on track. hope. I welcome the increases to many of the constituencies We know that the best way for families to get out of that she mentioned, but an increase in pupil premium, poverty is through work. After taking into account or an increase in funding for disadvantaged children, housing costs, a child living in a household where every means that child poverty is increasing. That suggests adult is working is about four times less likely to be in the Prime Minister was wrong when he made his statement absolute poverty than a child in household where nobody today, which the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and works. That is why, through colleagues at the Department Arran (Patricia Gibson) mentioned earlier. for Work and Pensions, we are doubling the number of A number of actions desperately need to be taken. work coaches to help people find a job. Our £2 billion No.1 is to pay as many people as possible not the minimum kickstart scheme offers work placements for 16 to 24-year- wage, but the real living wage, which is £9.50 in most of olds. The skills Bill not only unlocks new opportunities the UK and £10.85 in London. By the way, when I was for young people but, through the lifelong learning grant, a borough leader, we introduced the London living it will also open up the chance to access new skills and wage to all staff who worked in kitchens in schools at opportunities to people of all ages. All of that will help the same time as we introduced universal free school families and children. meals for every single primary school child. It was a To conclude, this Government have extended the free great day when we did that. school-meals offer to more groups of children than any No. 2 is that the £20 universal credit uplift must be other for half a century and we provide breakfast clubs made permanent, and we must urgently review the two- in many disadvantaged areas. Our amazing holiday child limit. Let us not forget that over 50% of people activities and food scheme, which we have spent many using Trussell Trust food banks had never used one with years working on, is now going to be available across children before, and that 1 million eight to 17-year-olds the country. We also support these children to level up visited a food bank in December and January. We through educational opportunities, the pupil premium, desperately need to review child benefit levels, which which will increase, and the national funding formula. have been frozen, and we need to look at more help for We have provided unprecedented support in early families with fuel bills, water bills and council tax. I years. During the pandemic, we supported families with welcome the breathing space initiative that the Minister vouchers, we gave out 1 million laptops and we invested mentioned, but I do not think it is well known. I do not in transport and educational recovery. We have put think there has been enough getting the message out, billions of pounds of extra funding into welfare payments, because far too many people are still in debt for certain and taken real action to help parents into jobs and to financial products that are “buy now, pay later”, which upskill, so that they can get even better-paid jobs. Over very quickly become unaffordable. the past decade,a Conservative-led Government introduced People desperately need more help with housing costs, that national living wage and has doubled the personal and we must look urgently at the privately rented sector, tax allowance. That, and changes to the national insurance which tends to be very low quality. These days, it has calculations, means that people working full time on lower-quality housing stock than in social housing, and lower incomes are now up to £5,400 a year better off people pay over a third of their income on expensive than they were under Labour. rent payments and childcare costs. [Interruption.] I think The pandemic has presented challenging circumstances we have to end there, Dr Huq. for many families, and the Government have acted swiftly to ensure that children and families continue to Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): You can carry on. be able to achieve the very best in life. I think about Catherine West: I accept that not all of those elements vulnerable children every single day, and every single are in the Minister’s brief, but she did very well to cover day people across Government are working on how best some of them. I think all Members in the debate would to support them now, tomorrow and in the future. We like to put on record the wonderful work that is done in will continue to take action where it is needed, focusing schools by the women who cook the meals, our school always on the most vulnerable first, as that is the right meals supervisors, all our teaching assistants and all thing to do. our teachers. They play an important role in promoting good nutrition and sitting down to have a hot meal in Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): We are expecting a vote the middle of the day. That has important elements, any second, but Jim Shannon is the only Member in the such as learning to use a knife and fork and learning to debate without a proxy, and he has gone. Let us see how have conversations with adults—all the things that sitting we go. I call Catherine West. around a table does. 163WH Support for Children Entitled to 26 MAY 2021 164WH Free School Meals [Catherine West] Injectable Vitamin B12

I hope the Minister will take this to heart as we go 4.5 pm forward and as she looks at the implications of the national food strategy for schools, so that we can hopefully Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): I remind hon. Members go towards a high-quality approach to breakfast clubs that there have been some changes to normal practice in and school meals. We need to get as much free fruit into order to support the new hybrid arrangements. Well, schools as possible—that was another cut during the only one Member is here physically, so I do not think austerity years that needs to come back. We should also that I need to read all of this out. If everyone present look at any provision that we can offer in secondary here in the Boothroyd Room could clean their spaces schools, because children do not stop being poor when before using them and before leaving the room, that they turn 13 and go to secondary school. They still need would be great. I remind Members that Mr Speaker has all that nutritional support and help. stated that masks should be worn in Westminster Hall— We have had a good debate, and I thank all Members apart from by me in the Chair, as I may need to speak at for being involved. I hope that the Minister will take any second. some of the recommendations from the debate into Jane Hunt (Loughborough) (Con): I beg to move, Government policy, so that we can aspire to have a That this House has considered proposals to remove classification society where the 23 billionaires who were added to the of prescription-only medicine from injectable B12 vitamin. rich list do not get to eat all the food, but where our It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, poorer children get to have a nutritional and fully based Dr Huq. First, I thank my constituent Tracey Witty diet as well. who, since being diagnosed with B12 deficiency in 2012, Question put and agreed to. has worked tirelessly to support others to secure the Resolved, treatment that they have desperately needed and That this House has considered support for children entitled to campaigned for, and to increase public awareness of free school meals. vitamin B12 deficiency as well as the issues surrounding access to treatment. It is clear that she is making a real 3.45 pm difference to the lives of people across the country; and Sitting suspended. much of the information that I will share today has come from her extensive investigation and research into this disorder. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a progressive neurological disorder with a wide range of symptoms that affect all body systems and, importantly,people of all ages. Statistics from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence show that, in the UK, 6% of people below 60 years of age are deficient in B12, and the figure rises to 20% in people aged over 60 years. That means that hundreds of thousands of people are struggling with the symptoms of B12 deficiency, which can have a devastating impact on both physical and mental health, leaving sufferers unable to contribute to either family life or society. Crucially, and in part because of the wide range of symptoms associated with the disorder, sufferers often struggle to receive the correct diagnosis.They are commonly misdiagnosed with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, ADHD—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—and fibromyalgia. That means that they do not receive proper treatment and, in the long term, that can lead to significant complications, including permanent neurological damage. Over the years, many people have contacted my constituent, Tracey, to discuss their experiences of living with B12 deficiency and the difficulties that they have faced in getting the right diagnosis. I would like to share a couple of their stories The first is of a mother, with three young children, whose serum B12 level first indicated a deficiency nearly a decade ago. Sadly, however, that was overlooked and, despite being unable to physically function because of her disorder,the woman was repeatedly denied access to B12 injectables by GPs. After spending a number of years being passed from pillar to post— seeing a psychologist, endocrinologist, haematologist and gastroenterologist, attending a pain clinic and chronic fatigue clinic, and being sent for a brain scan—the woman felt that she had no choice but to resort to 165WH Injectable Vitamin B1226 MAY 2021 Injectable Vitamin B12 166WH sourcing injectable B12 online. Thankfully, she is now It is because of such cases that I presented a petition fully functioning, but can she be certain of having a in the Chamber calling for the classification of prescription- trusted source of injections through the internet? only medicine to be removed from injectable B12, so The second story is of a woman who, following four that those who have been diagnosed with B12 deficiency unsuccessful attempts at IVF decided to explore B12 may access treatment over the counter at pharmacies deficiency as a possible cause of her fertility problems, when they need it. As the petition mentioned, that as she also had a myriad of severe neurological symptoms would bring the UK’s and a known family history of B12 deficiency. More “approach in line with that of other countries, affording those than a year ago, she found out that she was indeed with B12 deficiency the same dignity and control over their own health as a diabetic using insulin, and reducing the workload and deficient when her serum B12 test result was flagged as financial burden on GP practices, District Nurses and other NHS abnormal. However, along with the test result was a services”.—[Official Report, 23 September 2020; Vol. 680, c. 1077.] note stating that no action was to be taken and so, The latter point has become increasingly important instead of being treated for a clear B12 deficiency, she given that covid-19 has placed significant pressure on was advised to take oral supplements and was referred NHS services and, in recent months, intensified demand to a chronic fatigue clinic. This woman is only just for GP services. starting B12 injections with her GP this week, after It is also worth noting that, since I presented the repeatedly supplying evidence to them of the need for petition, Tracey’s Change.org petition on that very subject correct treatment. It is understood that oral vitamin has garnered more than 96,300 signatures, reflecting the B12 cannot be absorbed when the patient is B12 deficient; public interest in the matter. I am grateful for the it requires an injection to be effective. Even when patients Government’s response to the petition that I presented. are correctly diagnosed, they often face an uphill battle However, it raised a number of new issues, which I will to access the treatment they need when they need it. As put to the Minister now. the NHS website states: The Government’s response stated: “The treatment for vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia depends on what’s causing the condition. Most people can be “Clinically urgent treatment must always be provided, with the easily treated with injections or tablets to replace the missing patient’s clinical needs being paramount. Any patient who wishes vitamins.” to discuss their need for vitamin B12 injections can request a review with their GP or other responsible clinician.”—[Official It goes on to state that, “At first”, patients will Report, 2 November 2020; Vol. 683, c. 6P.] “have these injections every other day for 2 weeks or until…symptoms In Tracey’s experience, however, and as evidenced by have started improving…After this initial period,” the stories I shared earlier, clinically urgent treatment is if a patient’s B12 deficiency is not caused by a lack of frequently denied to those with B12 deficiency. That the vitamin in their diet, they will situation has been worsened by the covid-19 restrictions, “usually need to have an injection of hydroxocobalamin every when many people with the disorder and pernicious 2 to 3 months for the rest of” anaemia were told by their GP that they no longer their life. needed B12 injections and could instead take a B12 tablets. Tracey heard how some of the GP practices Sadly, however, for many people that maintenance came to that conclusion after taking blood to check B12 dose is not enough, leaving them to deal with debilitating levels. That is despite NICE guidance and The BMJ stating symptoms while trying to juggle the stresses of everyday that no testing should be carried out once a patient is on life. That was the case for another woman who has been vitamin B12 injections, as there is no indication of what in contact with Tracey in recent months. During lockdown, is happening at a cellular level. that woman who had previously been diagnosed with The Government’s response also stated: pernicious anaemia, which is one cause of vitamin B12 “Vitamin B12 could not legally be classified as a medicine that deficiency,was exhausted, constantly nauseated, stumbling, can be made available for sale without prescription in pharmacies struggling with brain fog and unable to function properly. because it is an injection and because the condition it is licensed She therefore asked her GP whether she could have her to treat, pernicious anaemia, needs a clinician to diagnose it, and B12 injections more regularly than the eight-weekly monitor its treatment.”—[Official Report, 2 November 2020; regime she was on. Vol. 683, c. 5P.] Subsequently, however, that woman had her regime It is important to make a distinction here because, as reduced to just four injections per year, after her GP I mentioned, pernicious anaemia is only one cause of took advice from a professor of haematology who it vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 injectables are also required seems incorrectly stated: “A typical dose survives in the by those who are B12 deficient for other reasons. Tracey body for up to two years and once the patient has the feels that there is a widespread lack of understanding of first few injections, there is no ongoing deficiency.We can this subject among clinicians, which is compounded by be confident that these fluctuating symptoms are not the inaccuracy of B12 testing. related in any way to B12.”That statement is at odds with As the NHS website acknowledges, NICE guidance, which is clear: “the current widely used blood test only measures the total amount of vitamin B12” “Treatment of B12 deficiency in people with neurologic involvement should include” in a patient’s body, rather than what form the B12 takes. This means that a blood test may show that a patient injections has normal B12 levels, even though their body cannot “on alternate days until there is no further improvement”. use much of it, leaving many patients without access to A single mother who was trying to cope with the help or treatment. I would welcome the Minister’scomments additional stresses of home schooling two autistic children on whether the Government will be working with the due to covid-19 restrictions was left with no other NHS to further clinicians’understanding of B12 deficiency, choice but to purchase B12 online from a pharmacy in particular the limitations of testing, to ensure that abroad in order to function properly. those who are deficient receive better care. 167WH Injectable Vitamin B1226 MAY 2021 Injectable Vitamin B12 168WH

[Jane Hunt] normally in a busy household and even get a new part- time job. I cannot overstate the impact they have had on Finally, I will pick up on the wider point in the me, especially since the doctor suggested I might have Government’s response about the classification of B12 terminal neurological decline. Please, please state the injectables. The response stated: case for hundreds or possibly thousands of us in the “Before a medicine can be switched from a prescription only same position, and for those who have not yet been medicine (POM) to a pharmacy (P) medicine, Ministers must be diagnosed and are struggling with poor mental and satisfied that it would be safe to allow it to be supplied without a physical health for the sake of a low-cost vitamin.” prescription. This means that it is a medicine which no longer I hope that the overriding message the Minister takes meets any of the criteria for a POM.” away with her is the desperate situation in which those The response went on to imply that, as B12 injectables whose stories I have shared have found themselves—so are normally prescribed by a doctor for parenteral much so that they have had to source their own injections administration, they cannot be considered safe to be just to be able to function as she and I can. The debate supplied without a prescription. has been advertised on the “B12 Deficincy.info”Facebook That position seems to be at odds with the fact that page and, this morning, one lady left the following comment: private clinics are able to provide the very same injectables “Fingers are crossed. This would be life changing for me and to clients, provided they advertise them using such so many others, no more battling with my doctors. I can only terms as wellness, boost or supplement, and do not dream of what it’s like to feel alive.” market them as treatments for B12 deficiency or make I ask the Government please to reconsider their position any medical claims. That is because the Medicines and urgently. Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency does not consider vitamin B12 injectables to be medicines in this instance. 4.20 pm Indeed, in a statement to Tracey, the MHRA said: The Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention “Our current advice to private clinics administering vitamin and Mental Health (Ms Nadine Dorries): It is a huge B12 injections which are not licensed medicinal products intravenously pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq, for for non-medicinal purposes is that we do not regard these to be what I think is the first time. I remember chairing a medicines and that they fall outside of the remit of the MHRA. It debate when you were an MP speaking, so the tables must be absolutely clear in the advertising of such products that have turned. I thank my hon. Friend for bringing forward they do not have a medical purpose.” the debate. She raised many points in her speech, and Furthermore, staff at private clinics do not need any we have only 15 minutes, so to do them justice in detail I medical training to administer B12 injectables to clients. will ask my officials, who are listening in, to provide a The implication of this is that B12 injectables are detailed answer to each of her questions. simultaneously licensed medicinal products, which are I will speak about something that I have not prepared not safe to be administered by someone without medical for, but I will use this time because it is so important training, and non-medicinal products, which are safe to and because my hon. Friend said something in her be administered by someone without medical training. speech that made me think about something else. First, Moreover, unlike with insulin, the risk of toxicity or I thank your constituent Tracey Witty,and your constituents overdose with injectable B12 is considered to be extremely and other women who suffer from B12 deficiency. Every low, and so would be relatively safe for those with a time you spoke about an individual case, you mentioned deficiency to self-administer.I would welcome the Minister’s a woman; you did not once mention a man. I furiously comments on those points. fired off a few questions while you were speaking, and it That being said, as the Government’s response to the is true that more women suffer from pernicious anaemia petition rightly highlighted, self-administration would and vitamin B12 deficiency than men. That leads me to not be suitable for everyone, so it would be only right the women’s health strategy. that patients retain the ability to receive their injection On 18 March, we launched a call for evidence for at a GP practice.Tracey has also expressed that pharmacists women to tell us about the problems they have in who are already trained to administer vaccinations should accessing healthcare services. I hope Tracey is listening, be allowed to administer injections to those with a but if not, I hope you will get this back to her. Tracey prescription. That would allow pharmacists to play a will have a network of contacts of women suffering greater role in community healthcare, relieving pressures with this issue and, for it to be addressed, we need to on GP services. hear those women’s stories. There is a simple link to Here is another email I received directly from a the women’s health strategy on gov.uk, and it will take constituent: “I suffer from B12 deficiency. At present I three to four minutes to complete a response on a phone require an injection every other day to keep serious or iPad. neurological decline at bay. I was diagnosed last summer It is so much less difficult—rather than easier—to and rapidly declined, to the point of almost being in a change policy if you have the evidence. The default in wheelchair. I was helped by the GP initially, but would health is male and I am afraid that it is very difficult to not expect them to continue my intensive treatment get change for many conditions that affect women. To owing to resources. However, if they could train us and cite an example, the response by Dame Sally Davies is supply the details, it would be better than as now, when from, I think, three or possibly four years ago and there many of us are forced to research this ourselves. has still been no major change. NICE will come forward “I currently have to purchase ampules of with recommendations, but that may not be for another hydroxocobalamin online from Germany, which I am 12 or 18 months. It is not fast enough. My point is sure you will agree is an expensive, lengthy and unnecessary that that is because it is women, and women’s voices are process when they could easily be bought over the just not listened to. I am trying to change that. I am counter in the UK. The injections have enabled me to trying to put women at the heart of health strategy and regain my peripheral vision, resume driving, function health policy. 169WH Injectable Vitamin B1226 MAY 2021 Injectable Vitamin B12 170WH

I am sorry to use a few minutes of my response to get present a direct or indirect danger to human health, this point over but, as well as you raising this issue here, even when used incorrectly,if used without the supervision which is vital, Tracey could have a massive impact if she of a doctor; or is not frequently and to a very wide and the women she knows use the forums and platforms extent used incorrectly, and as a result is not likely to she is aware of to post the link to ensure that women are present a direct or indirect danger to human health; or aware and can respond to the women’s strategy call for does not contain substances or preparations—there is evidence. It is vital that my hon. Friend is here raising an entire list, which we will include in the letter to my this on behalf of Tracey, but if we could have hundreds hon. Friend. or possibly thousands of women responding, that would Todate, the legal classification of all currently authorised be incredibly powerful, because that would give us medicines for injection, including vitamin B12, is evidence—data. It would be not one constituent of prescription only. Other factors support that position, yours putting a story forward; it would be lots of them. in addition to the fact that the product is injectable. The main reason why it would not be a suitable candidate Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): Order. Minister, you will for reclassification under existing guidelines is that the remember the thing about saying “you”—you used to product is considered to meet the prescription-only say it—and you have done it a few times. Dame Eleanor medicines requirements, as set out in legislation. Laing, who is our boss nowadays, is quite hard on it and Pernicious anaemia, or any other cause of vitamin said, “Don’t let anyone get away with it.” I let you do it B12 deficiency, cannot be self-diagnosed and requires a few times, but if you can use “my hon. Friend”, that is the expertise of a medical doctor. Contrary to my hon. better. Friend’s remarks NICE guidance also states that when Ms Dorries: When I was in Chair, I told people off all a patient presents with the signs and symptoms of the time for exactly the same reason. I am absolutely pernicious anaemia, they should undergo a full blood sure that because we had a big gap with no debates over count as part of the diagnostic process. covid, I have slipped back into a habit I had prior to We are also aware that there is a high risk of off-label becoming an MP 20, 16 or 15 years ago, or whenever it use by patients. She mentioned that private clinics are was. I apologise. injecting for wellness. That is currently authorised for use only in maintenance therapy for pernicious anaemia Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): You don’t look that old! everytwotothreemonths,dependingonthetypeof pernicious anaemia. Anecdotally, we hear that patients consider Ms Dorries: Well, I am, I can assure you. that a more frequent administration of the medicine To finish my point, if my hon. Friend could ensure would be appropriate to their particular clinical symptoms. that her constituent responds to the call for evidence, Any reclassification of the medicine would not change that would absolutely be more powerful and useful than either the dose or the frequency of the treatment set out anything I have to say in my response to her speech. We in the terms of the product’s marketing authorisation. will respond to her points in detail. I am also led to believe that the evidence of lifestyle I will address some points made by my hon. Friend. abuse of unlicensed formulations of B12, which, although She asked specifically about making B12 injections not necessarily relevant to the patient group including available to purchase from pharmacies. As she said, the Tracey and others whom my hon. Friend mentioned, is MHRA is the body responsible for medicines licensing also taken into account in determining the legal classification in the United Kingdom, and it is committed to making of the medicine. That is an issue that has to be considered: more medicines available over the counter, so I think we there are people who would abuse those formulations. would be pushing at an already open door. The MHRA Just because there is a particular group that would is committed to doing that where it is safe to do so, as over-use and abuse the availability, we should say that an important element of the self-care agenda to empower we are not going to look at this. Although that is not in patients. my speech, and it has not been advised to me, I am My hon. Friend mentioned the role of pharmacists. making that point. We should not use that as a reason We have seen them step up during the covid pandemic to say, “We don’t go there”. This affects more women and the vaccination programme. That was an incredibly than men—I do not apologise for banging on about important point. The Under-Secretary of State for Health that point—and therefore we should be pushing those and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury barriers back as part of the women’s health strategy and St Edmunds (Jo Churchill), whose portfolio includes looking at different ways to deal with it. pharmacy, is constantly looking at ways to increase and Taken together, these issues mean that the criteria for enhance the role of pharmacists, and this could be a prescription-only medicine have been reached, and changing useful way of doing so. the classification would therefore not be appropriate—but I used to be a nurse and gave vitamin B12 injections that part of the information that I have been given years ago. I was trying to rack my brains, but do not needs to be challenged. We need to ask, “Why not?” It is remember ever having given one to a man, but I am sure vital that we get the evidence back from the network to that I did, because men suffer from such symptoms, too. the forums that Tracey knows. I note that this issue has It is a really interesting phenomenon and, with a bit of been before Health Ministers in recent times, and as I imagination, working with clinicians and harnessing the mentioned, Dame Sally Davies, our previous chief medical expertise and knowledge of pharmacists, we could find officer, did engage with the medical royal colleges to a new way of doing this. raise awareness of the condition. However, it has taken The MHRA has an established process and procedure too long—I think Dame Sally retired three years ago. for moving medicines from prescription-only status to Following on from that interaction, NICE has worked over the counter, which I will refer to as OTC, when it to develop and publish an updated clinical knowledge safe to do so. An OTC is a medicine that is not likely to summary on pernicious anaemia, which sets out clinical 171WH Injectable Vitamin B1226 MAY 2021 Injectable Vitamin B12 172WH

[Ms Dorries] case law to consider products on a case-by-case basis and cannot automatically classify all vitamin B products guidance on diagnosis, treatment and management of as medicine, so they do not all meet the criteria to be the condition that should be followed by general practice classified as licensed medicines. That is another important physicians and others responsible for the care of patients point. who suffer from this condition. The updated guidance In closing, I thank my hon. Friend for continuing to was published in July 2020, and it should now be a raise this important issue on behalf of her constituents regular part of clinical interventions in general practice and everyone affected by the condition. We will continue and secondary care. to work with and support the NHS and NICE—which I would be interested to know what Tracey’s experience are actively engaged with this issue— and clinicians to of that is, and whether she believes that the guidance understand the importance of B12 deficiency and guarantee has been implemented, particularly based on the experience that patients are receiving the best possible care. I think of other women that she has been speaking to on these the women’s health strategy will really help with that forums. Has it been implemented? Are GPs aware of it? and will possibly be the boost we need to move this If those women could let us know those answers in their forward through the evidence we can gather. responses to the women’s health strategy, that would be I will finish on that point, because Tracey and the incredibly important. It is also important to evaluate others who use the same platforms, my hon. Friend, the impact that this guidance has had on the clinical and others who complete the women’s health strategy management of pernicious anaemia before considering could give us important evidence that we need to enable further regulatory options. NICE usually produces us to push forward. I am not saying that means we do guidelines as quickly as possible—it is an amazing not know what policies we are going to develop from organisation that does very good work—but we need to the women’s health strategy, but if enough women move a little bit faster on this and other women-related respond and say that this is an issue, that gives them a issues. voice and it gives us a lever to pull. However, one of the As for my hon. Friend’squestion about private injections biggest issues here is the time it has taken to bring about of B12, as I said, there are two separate types. Licensed change. The guidelines have gone in; I would be interested products must be administered by prescription and by a to know how they have bedded in, and whether people suitably qualified healthcare professional, so that is such as those on Tracey’s forums think they are being where we are at the moment. It is important to note that used and have led to any benefit. We would also be private clinics are not providing the same injectables to interested to hear what the problems are with prescribing, clients as GPs are; they are providing injectable vitamin and the issues that they have with administration. B12 products that are not licensed medicines for general Question put and agreed to. health and wellness purposes. Of course, if clinics make medicinal claims for unlicensed vitamin B12 products that they offer, the MHRA would take action. Also, 4.34 pm when classifying products, the MHRA are bound by Sitting suspended. 173WH 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 174WH

Driverless Cars this instance, because I know that my colleagues at the Department for Transport have established the world- 4.50 pm leading, £200-million CAM Testbed UK ecosystem, to test the technology safely and to test the regulatory Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): I remind hon. Members environment. The landmark consultations in these areas that there have been some changes to normal practice in have been published; that work has been led by the Law order to support the new hybrid arrangements. Timings Commission. In addition, the foundations of the world’s of debates have been amended to allow technical first comprehensive safety and security assurance process arrangements to be made for the next debate. There will are being laid. be suspensions between debates. I remind all Members that they must arrive for the start of a debate in Westminster Christian Wakeford (Bury South) (Con): Being a keen Hall. I think we do have one person missing, the hon. follower of my hon. Friend, I have seen many of his Member for Devizes (Danny Kruger). I think that, tweets and followed many of his speeches—we all know theoretically, he is not allowed to participate; anyway, too well the fears of judgment day. Seeing the robots on we will see what happens if he shows up. the streets of Milton Keynes actually being fed by The next item on my list does not apply because no children, how do we know that the robots will not bite one is participating in this debate virtually. Members back and will actually be safe for everyone involved? attending physically should clean their spaces before they use them and before leaving the room. I remind Members Ben Everitt: I am very grateful to my good and hon. that Mr Speaker has deemed that masks should be worn Friend for that intervention. Fears of the robot apocalypse in Westminster Hall until you are speaking. If you can may be a little overblown when it comes to issues of email your speeches to [email protected], artificial intelligence, driverless cars, automated connected that is very helpful for our colleagues in Hansard. Members communications and mobility solutions, but there is always attending physically who are in the latter stages of the the problem that technology goes wrong. We recently call list—this may not apply—should use the seats in saw a case in the United States where a driverless car in the Public Gallery initially and move forward as seats driverless mode effectively went rogue. That is why it is become available. Members should sit only where there so important to test properly, to put a safety regime are microphones—I think everyone is doing that. around the technology and to regulate, and why we have been consulting and working with the industry for years 4.51 pm and years. Ben Everitt (Milton Keynes North) (Con): I beg to Safety and security are incredibly important. Over move, the last seven years, industry leaders, experts and That this House has considered the potential merits of driverless manufacturers have learned an incredible amount about cars. the benefits of self-driving cars and the part they can It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, play in delivering our priorities to boost the economy, Dr Huq, and to have had the privilege of introducing to reduce congestion, accidents and carbon emissions, this important debate on the future of driverless cars. In and—the buzz words— to build back better. They will Milton Keynes, we are familiar with the sight of robots play an important part in our future as a country. roaming our city as they bring food deliveries to almost CAV technology has the potential to remove the 200,000 residents, and I know that my hon. Friend the cause of over 85% of road traffic accidents that are Minister is aware of the e-scooter trials. We are a down to driver error. Let us break that down—that is tech-focused city; we are at the heart of the technical 47,000 serious accidents that happen when we nip to the evolution of our country; we are a centre of innovation. shops, we go to work or we go out on the school run. If Wehave the UK’slargest self-driving car project, Autodrive, we break that down further, that has the potential to and local manufacturers—Ford, Jaguar Land Rover save 3,900 lives over the next decade. I know colleagues and Tata—are supporting that. Last year, we also had here can sympathise with feeling tired, stressed out and the HumanDrive project, culminating in the longest distracted at the wheel, especially when there are kids in autonomous journey in Britain—230 miles, from Milton the back singing and arguing. Keynes to Sunderland. Now,at Stadium MK, we will be hosting a Government- Christian Wakeford: My hon. Friend is being very funded trial to potentially introduce driverless taxis and kind in giving way, but I will correct him because in a self-driving bus. I know that it might come as a surprise AXA’s figures 90% of road traffic accidents were caused to many people watching this debate that we could have by driver error. When we also factor in figures regarding self-driving cars on our roads later this year, but this is drug and alcohol impairment, as well as the impact on just part of the exciting work that is under way, and has pedestrians, this could be a huge innovation and be been for years and years, to develop connected and world leading in terms of not only keeping our roads autonomous road vehicles, or CAV, as I will call them safe but keeping Britain safe. for the rest of this speech. That is in addition to automated lane-keeping systems to keep the cars literally on the Ben Everitt: I am grateful to be corrected on that. straight and narrow. I am pleased that the figure has gone up rather than To date, £400 million has been jointly invested with down. My hon. Friend’s point is well made: robots do industry for those technologies developed by UK not get distracted or have a bad day and get grumpy. companies, companies right here in Britain, and more As well as reducing accidents, the technology can than 80 groundbreaking, Government-funded projects reduce congestion and create cleaner and more efficient have taken place, including the ones in Milton Keynes roads across Britain. These vehicles will be able to that I have mentioned. We get a bit of stick for using the communicate with traffic lights, to keep traffic flowing. phrase “world leading”, but I will not apologise for it in They will reduce the number of idle cars and significantly 175WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 176WH

[Ben Everitt] Although it is absolutely key that we secure the UK’s place as a global science superpower, as the Minister improveairqualityinourtownsandcities.Asthetechnology has said, we must put road safety first. develops and more CAVs are on our roads, we could I am extremely grateful to see that so many Members reduce the average delay by 40%. So, fewer accidents are present. Connected and autonomous technology and fewer delays—what’s not to like? has the potential to bring so many benefits to our A report, which I am sure we all saw as it was emailed constituentsbyboostingBritishbusinessesandtransforming to us this morning by campaign groups, by the Society our journeys. As we embark on this futuristic venture, it of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that 50% is definitely something that has to be slow and steady of those polled who had personal mobility issues feel to start with. We need to put safety first, but I look that their mobility is restricted and 48% said that CAVs forward to hearing more from the Minister on what is could reduce the stress of driving. They can help people under way to build the best regulatory framework to with disabilities become more mobile; vitally improve deliver this opportunity for the future. access to employment and healthcare; give 1 million people in the UK better access to higher education; and, potentially, Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): I intend to call the three unlock £8 billion of value to our economy. Creating Front-Bench spokespeople, starting with the hon. Member swifter and safer journeys could boost productivity in for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Gavin Newlands), some regions by up to 14%. at no later than 5.25 pm, so I hope there will not be any need for a time limit. I call Nick Fletcher. In addition, given the work now happening in Milton Keynes, I have seen first hand how this can generate skilled jobs, technical and professional positions. That 5.2 pm is, of course, not just in Milton Keynes. Connected and Nick Fletcher (Don Valley) (Con): It is a pleasure to autonomous technology could create around 320,000 serve under you today, Dr Huq, and I thank my hon. new jobs in the UK by 2030, worth £42 billion by 2035. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes North (Ben Everitt) I am interested to hear more from the Minister about for an excellent speech and for securing the debate. the Government’s plans to build on our proud history When I was a young man—many, many years ago— of British car manufacturing and how that is going to Saturday afternoon and early-evening TV was “The propel us forward. Dukes of Hazzard”, “The A-Team”and “Knight Rider”. I have focused on roads, but this technology has the “Knight Rider” was definitely my favourite. It was a power not just to revolutionise roads but can be used in great show, and I thoroughly enjoyed tuning in, as I am sectors from agriculture to nuclear power facilities. The sure many other Members present did, too. The star of technology can support and transform different labour the show was not David Hasselhoff—the Hoff—who sectors as the UK captures the global CAV, research played Michael Knight, or even Patricia McPherson, and development, and manufacturing markets. the glamourous mechanic who never got her hands Back in 2015, KPMG estimated that the potential dirty. No, the star was KITT, a talking driverless car. overall economic benefit for Britain could be £51 billion With its flashing red lights and numerous toys, it really per annum by 2030—a huge prize is there for the taking. was the star of the show, so Members can imagine my However, as we plan the next generation of automated excitement 40 years later when I took delivery of my vehicles and deploy them on our roads, we must put very own KITT,my new Tesla Model 3, back in 2019—what safety first. The idea of self-driving vehicles is something a wonderful year 2019 was. It is a wondrous machine that we are more used to seeing in sci-fi and futuristic with many tricks, and although it cannot hold a films than on the M1 in 2021. I am sure I am not the conversation with me, it can drive itself. The summon only one present who thinks it seems contradictory that feature enables me to park my car with my phone, taking one’s hands off the wheel and one’s eyes off the which is a great party trick when seeing friends. lane could actually make our roads safer. For those who do not know much about this topic, Later this year, we will not be seeing KITT from autopilot on a Tesla pretty much drives the car by itself, “Knight Rider”or Lightning McQueen swooping through but people have to keep their hands on the steering our streets, but the first tentative steps will ensure that wheel. I have used this many times, and it is a great automated lane-keeping systems are used only in the feature. If I remove my hands from the steering wheel, it single slow lane of the motorway. It will be limited to informs me to put them back on. However, it has its 37 mph. A vehicle must receive a quality approval and limitations. Tight country roads are not always a successful have no evidence to challenge its ability to safely self-drive. experience, and the driver obviously needs to be in control Realistically, an early form of self-driving technology is at junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights and so on, but unlikely to be commercially available for our constituents the technology is definitely getting there. before 2025, and I know my colleagues will be monitoring Today, however, we are talking about automated it at every stage. lane-keeping systems and the Government’s plan to Although I look forward to seeing the Government’s allow that to happen. I am afraid I believe that it is a response to the recently closed consultation that proposes little early. I am sure that many Members have seen the amendments to the highway code in order to ensure dangers of allowing ALKS to operate without driver that we can work with the automated lane-keeping assistance when swerving for debris or other immediate systems and hopefully give everybody the opportunity obstacles on the road. It just is not safe to do so with the to have their say, we are also aware that there are a technology that we currently use. number of issues with connected and autonomous vehicles. The software is available, although—at least to my From public perception to cyber-security and the legal knowledge—the United Nations Economic Commission and regulatory framework, which is fiendishly complicated, for Europe has not allowed it to be used. That means it all needs a serious assessment by the Department. that it cannot be downloaded in European countries. 177WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 178WH

My recommendation is to change the regulations that way in innovation, but can often fall at the implementation stop that happening. Let us use the software for a safe phase, leaving the door open for other countries to, period of time, with the driver still fully in charge of the effectively, copy and implement. We have seen that vehicle. It is important to highlight that that is precisely happen many times over the past century. Let us hope how planes operate. A computer flies the plane, but the that this is not one such case and that we can actually pilot is always responsible and can take control at any benefit from the technologies that we have in our hands moment. and that we are developing in our country. To clarify, we need to put the regulations in place that 5.10 pm allow the available software to be downloaded to our vehicles, and then use the system with the driver still Christian Wakeford (Bury South) (Con): It is a pleasure fully engaged and responsible. The software learns from to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Huq. every mile driven, and if we have to intervene, the While we are talking about the names of our cars, let disengagement is noted by the system, meaning that the me say that I have not named mine KITT; being a fan of fleet learns—that is, all the cars that are on the road “Star Wars”, I have named it the Falcon. Members have using the system. The number of disengagements will talked about the programmes they watched growing up, be recorded. The data can be reported back to the and I do not have as many years as my colleagues, but Government so that they can make an informed decision we all remember our first experiences of seeing driverless on how little or how much driver engagement should be vehicles, whether it was KITT in “Knight Rider” or the legally required. Johnnycabs in “Total Recall”, or in the future scenes in By adopting that policy, the UK can remain at the “Demolition Man”. These are not the greatest films in cutting edge of the technology,making the whole experience the world—that would have to be “The Empire Strikes much safer. I believe that Tesla is doing that now in the Back”—but all are examples of driverless vehicles on USA, capturing billions of miles of data each month, our screens, going back decades. thus continually improving the driving experience. The This is, however, not just about bringing the world of industry as a whole thinks that driverless cars, once science fiction into the modern day through our fantastic perfected, will be much safer, create less congestion and research and development and manufacturing. Driverless generally be a better experience for drivers. I tend to vehicles are a natural advancement in society, especially agree with that assessment. I also believe that in the when they are linked to the advances that have been made not-too-distant future we will debate whether we allow in electric vehicles and battery capacity, making this a humans to drive cars and not just computers. natural evolution from the internal combustion engine. On that note, think of every driving job that may well As I said earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for disappear, which is food for thought. I do not think that Milton Keynes North (Ben Everitt), research shows we can stop the technology, nor do I want to; yet we that roughly 90% of road traffic accidents are caused by must be ready for the implications that it will bring. Let driver error, and that is before we factor in other human me finish by saying that I love “Knight Rider” and the error, whether from pedestrians, drug or alcohol star KITT, so much so that I call my Tesla “KITT”, impairment, or even tiredness. Removing the driver but as much I love the thought of the technology its from the equation can potentially lead to much safer implementation into everyday life needs to be done roads for us all. Speaking as a Member who has lost cautiously and using all the available technology, not just family members and seen others severely impacted due some of it. to road traffic accidents, that is surely a big positive that 5.8 pm means this technology is inevitable. Yes, there may well be problems when we are in a transition period, during MarcoLonghi(DudleyNorth)(Con):Itisagreatpleasure which we have a mixture of driverless vehicles and vehicles to contribute to the debate under your chairmanship, still operated by drivers, but things will progress. Dr Huq. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Linked to this is the problem of insurance: who is Keynes North (Ben Everitt) for introducing the debate, responsible in the event of an accident if there is no act as I am a keen proponent of advancing new technologies of negligence? Is it the owner or the manufacturer? I where they are available to us. appreciate that these conversations are all ongoing, but We live in an age where there appears to be no we need answers sooner rather than later, before we start bounds to the possibilities offered by technology to having these vehicles on the road. virtually every aspect of our lives. That is certainly true of transportation. The ability to take off, fly and land Vehicles becoming automated also potentially cuts aircraft with several hundred passengers aboard is one down on the number of vehicles on the road. That example that has been available to us for decades. For should be applauded, because it leads to not only a that reason, it is at least to some extent surprising that cleaner, greener road network, but the ability to remove we are only now starting to make meaningful advances the scourge of congestion. As a Member with one of in the technology around driverless cars. That probably the most congested roads in the country in his constituency has something to do with manufacturers understanding —Bury New Road in Prestwich—I think that this, too, their markets better than most and realising that public needs exploring. Congestion drives people away from perception is a significant obstacle to overcome, so the our town centres—excuse the pun—at a time when we question for me becomes more one of how we address need them back more than ever, so we need to be doing the gap in public acceptance rather than whether there what we can to invest in not only our road network but are technological solutions. our towns. Identifying the issues —I was going to say the drivers— Ben Everitt: Is there anything specific in my hon. behind that gap is key, and understanding how we can Friend’s constituency that he would seek to improve to bring certainty to ameliorate the fears arising from make it fit for driverless cars and the transportation of them is even more important. The UK often leads the the future? 179WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 180WH

Christian Wakeford: My hon. Friend has mentioned Motor Manufacturers and Traders, representatives of building back better. This entire innovation is about the insurance industry, other road users and the car building back greener and fairer to allow more people industry itself. That is a pretty good balance or perspectives, to get back into employment. He mentioned mobility and it has to be said that all are positive about the issues in his opening remark—being able to get people back potential for autonomous vehicles, with some caveats. I into adult education, higher education and employment, am also grateful that the SMMT provided a glossary of and helping them to access health opportunities that the various acronyms and abbreviations involved. The they have been denied because of mobility—and we main one being discussed today is ALKS—automated need to explore those issues around the table with as lane keeping system—which AXA describes as a form much enthusiasm as possible. When we factor in the of conditional automation, based on existing driver-assist time lost through accidents and in congestion—I refer technology, and can be described as level 3, using the to the road I mentioned earlier, and I think we all realise SAE definition. That is a lot of acronyms. the number of hours it takes us to get out of London as There is concern that these systems may not be capable we head back to our constituencies—this innovation of undertaking all the functions of a competent, attentive will inevitably lead to quicker and more efficient journeys, driver—for example, swerving debris; the minimum risk which is one way to increase the productivity of Great manoeuvre, or MRM; stopping in the lane of travel; and Britain, while improving the ability of many to get back —an issue I have a question for the Minister on—complying into employment. with UK road signage. In 2018, there were 70 accidents This is arguably the best innovation we can make for caused by cars driving in a closed lane on smart motorways the economy, because it is not about building back in England. The SMMT said that ALKS was designed better but about building back stronger. In doing so, we to read and respond to roads signs and speed limits, and are making sure that we are a mobile, safe and green to comply with traffic rules in the country of operation. nation. However, AXA suggests that current ALKS, including radar sensors, could only monitor short distances and Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): I call the first Front-Bench would likely be unable to recognise a red x signifying a spokesperson, and the last man in the debate, apart closed lane. In summing up, can the Minster say what from Ben, who gets to answer at the end: Gavin Newlands, her understanding of the issue is, please? for the Scottish National party. Another challenge we must overcome if these things 5.14 pm are to become a feature on British roads is resolving the issue of how automatic vehicles can be insured. Insurance Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) companies are concerned that the goal of being a leader (SNP): Thank you very much, Dr Huq; it is a pleasure in autonomous vehicles could backfire unless automators to see you in the Chair—and I am calling you by your and regulators spell out the current limitations of the proper name for a change as well. I congratulate the technology available today. We would welcome action hon. Member for Milton Keynes North (Ben Everitt) to ensure that vehicle insurance policies facilitate automated on securing this important debate and setting out so vehicles in the future, but we are concerned about the well not only the challenges that the connected and potential costs to policyholders and contention over autonomous vehicle sector faces but, crucially, the huge liability between manufacturers and insurers. economic and social opportunities that CAV adoption I only have a short time, so I do not want to dwell on can bring. the challenges. As we have heard, this country is a ManyMembers have made excellent and pertinent points. world-leading location for the mass market potential of I am not sure if he looks it, but the hon. Member for CAVs, with the Department for Transport estimating Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) must be of a similar age to that the UK CAVmarket could be worth nearly £42 billion me, with his love of “Knight Rider”. He spoke of a by 2035, creating 40,000 skilled jobs. But—you know future where we might be debating whether humans me, Dr Huq; I hate to be negative—we have been here should be allowed to drive. Given some of the drivers before. This country was a world leader in renewable on the road today, it could probably be argued that that technologies, and still is when it comes to the form of debate should be brought forward. I should declare that wave and tidal in Scotland, but the UK Government I also own an electric car, which was bought recently, allowed that leadership to be lost on wind technology. but unlike others mine does not have name, so I will We must learn the lessons and, on this issue, remain a need to speak to my children and sort that out forthwith. tech maker rather than a tech taker. The SNP obviously welcomes innovation and We are on the cusp of a driving revolution, but the understands the potential benefits of driverless cars in UK Government must get into gear and put their foot terms of ushering in a new era of sustainable and down for sustainable transportation. The technology advanced transportation that seeks to reduce traffic could not only unlock vast opportunities for the UK accidents and prevent harm. The journeys of the future economy and jobs market, but significantly improve the could ease congestion, cut emissions and reduce human safety and efficiency of how we travel in the coming error, but we must ensure that, despite the dizzying pace decade. The Scottish Government have already stepped of technological advancement, safety remains paramount up investment in AV,EV and sustainable future transport and regulations are of the highest standard. As we have infrastructure.The CAVroad map is aligned with Scotland’s heard, automated driving systems could prevent 47,000 future intelligent transport systems strategy and our serious accidents and save nearly 4,000 lives over the draft national transport strategy,which sets out a compelling next decade through their ability to reduce the single vision for the transport system over the next 20 years—one largest cause of road accidents—human error. that protects our climate and improves lives. It has been referenced already, but I am grateful to The strategy highlights the potential for Scotland to the organisations that sent briefing material ahead of become a market leader in the development and early today’s debate: AXA UK, Cycling UK, the Society of adoptionof transportinnovations.TheScottishGovernment 181WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 182WH are committed to developing an integrated, sustainable, things will affect drivers’ behaviour. If a driver feels that accessible and—importantly—environmentally friendly they are not responsible, I can imagine that they could transport system. That was backed up again today by take their eye off the ball as far as certain things are the First Minister in her statement of Government concerned. Will they be as vigilant as they should about priorities, which include reducing car kilometres by the things that they should very much keep their eye on? 20% by the decade’s end; removing half of combustion If we do not get this right, the safety gains risk being engine buses from the fleet by the end of 2023; free bus outweighed by accidents involving drivers who have not travel for those 21 and under and 60 and over; spending operated the vehicle in the correct manner. 10% of transport capital on active travel; and encouraging drivers to swap to zero-emission cars through enhanced I am glad that the Government are considering the incentives, including interest-free loan schemes for both issues. One the mechanisms is the consultation on updating new and used electric cars. I should declare that, having the highway code, although I would be grateful if the justboughtanelectriccar,Imadeuseof oneof thoseinterest- Minister could clarify that; as I understand it, the free electric car loans from the Scottish Government. proposed changes do not distinguish between different types of autonomous vehicles. I wonder whether that is Scotland is getting on with building the sustainable the right approach. I would also welcome clarification transport network of the future. In supporting and on what measures will be taken to ensure that those who echoing much of what hon. Members have said in the purchase or operate an ALKS vehicle are fully aware of debate, I urge the UK Government to get on and do the driver responsibilities for that vehicle type. Indeed, what same. [Interruption.] That’s timing. steps will be taken to make sure that any driver of any 5.21 pm category of autonomous vehicle realises the extent of Sitting suspended for Divisions in the House. their responsibilities? That may be accidents and the insurance side of things, or just what is expected of 5.35 pm them behaviour-wise. Would they, for example, have to On resuming— take an additional driving course on top of the standard test? Will there come a point when the standard test is Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): I congratulate amended to take these things into account? Could there the hon. Member for Milton Keynes North (Ben Everitt) be a situation where somebody has not got the standard on securing this debate. He represents an area that I driving licence but is able to drive an autonomous know pretty well, as my sister and her family live there, vehicle because less responsibility is required from them? although they are in the old part—the railway town of Wolverton—but I have seen the robots whizzing around It is disappointing that the Government have chosen the streets. In fact, the first time I saw them, I thought not to wait until the findings of the Law Commission’s they were speed cameras and got quite worried at the regulatory review into autonomous vehicles are released little things going along the pavement flashing at me as later this year. That will be crucial in determining I was driving along the road. It is quite exciting. responsibility when accidents occur, which we have It is right that the motion refers to the “potential discussed, and in advising on that regulatory framework. merits” of driverless cars, and that note of hesitancy is I understand the desire to open up this new market, but probably about right at the moment. There is potential; as the hon. Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) driverless cars could mean safer, more efficient travel on said, it is perhaps a bit early to race ahead. Forgive the roads through better regulation of speed, less congestion me—it is impossible to avoid puns about driving, in the and less risk of human error, which accounts for 90% of same way that we suddenly start talking about being road traffic accidents. As has been said, the SMMT says “on track” and “on board” and so on when we talk that they could prevent 47,000 serious accidents over about rail. the next decade, and save 3,900 lives. It also said that they would open up new mobility opportunities for Finally, I want to express my concern about how this those with disabilities and the elderly, create 420,000 fits in with the decarbonisation agenda. Obviously, we jobs and contribute £62 billion to the economy by 2030. need to do much more to green our transport system. That is all pretty exciting. I am probably not alone in The switch to electric vehicles, and the ban on the sale finding it slightly hard to get my head around the idea of new internal combustion engine vehicles from 2030 of being in one of those cars and not being entirely in and of hybrids from 2035, are really important. As I control, but I am very keen to test out the technology at understand it, autonomous vehicles could lead to emissions some stage to see how it would work. reductions by reducing congestion or because people go for an electric model, but they would not necessarily all I want to be clear that Labour is generally supportive be electric. Researchers at Imperial College London of the introduction of autonomous vehicles and of have highlighted concerns that automated vehicles could moving things ahead, but I echo what has been said by actually lead to an increase in global transport emissions other hon. Members about ensuring safety. One of the if they are mostly fuelled by petrol and diesel, and if key concerns is that there are different types of autonomous more people feel able to use them on the roads. vehicles. As we have heard, the type that has been considered for introduction to UK roads in the immediate Although driverless cars are an exciting prospect and future—the automated lane keeping system vehicles—are something to encourage, they are not the answer to the not fully autonomous. The automation merely regulates immediate need for better public transport, for investment the speed and direction of the vehicles, but still requires in a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network, a driver to be attentive in order to perform emergency for making electric vehicles affordable for more people, manoeuvres and lane switching. and for encouraging people to use private vehicles less I have spoken to various companies, including in the and to walk and cycle more. I know that the Government insurance world about this issue. We have to be clear are considering all those issues.I would welcome clarification what the driver’s responsibilities are, and how these from the Minister on how those problems will be addressed, 183WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 184WH

[Kerry McCarthy] undertake an extensive review of transport legislation to support the safe deployment of automated vehicles. and reassurance that the Government are not speeding We expect recommendations by the end of the year, ahead without the necessary regulation and consensus which will inform future regulatory reform. on the policy area. The work we have undertaken so far has earned us a reputation as a world leader in policy and regulation. It 5.41 pm ensures that we are ready for this step change in transport. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport We are acting to seize the opportunities for the UK. As (Rachel Maclean): It is a great pleasure to serve under my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes North your chairmanship, Dr Huq. I heartily congratulate my will be aware, the Government are supporting a portfolio hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes North (Ben of exciting self-driving vehicle technology projects,including Everitt) on securing this important debate, which has investing nearly £20 million into autonomous vehicle achieved a hugely welcome degree of cross-party consensus projects within Milton Keynes alone. Last autumn, I —that is very positive. I am delighted to have this had the great privilege of a comfortable and enjoyable opportunity to discuss with hon. Members the numerous ride through the Milton Keynes countryside in one of potential benefits of self-driving cars. In his capacity as theGovernment-supportedself-drivingNissanHumanDrive chair of the all-party parliamentary group on connected vehicles. and automated mobility, my hon. Friend has done an On that point, the hon. Member for Bristol East extremely good job of setting out the policy landscape. talked about being in such a car. I would encourage her I assure all hon. Members, because everyone has to do so. I am sure that Nissan would be happy to give raised this point, that the Government are absolutely her a ride. It is not only incredible and amazing, but committed to realising those benefits for the UK, but very underwhelming at the same time, because it feels for that to happen, the public must have confidence that incredibly safe. It feels like going in a normal car. safety and security are at the heart of how the technology As soon as people experience it, they can definitely see is deployed and developed. Our code of practice for the potential to transform the way we move around. trialling automated vehicles on public roads states that Government investment in self-driving vehicles spans there must be a safety driver who is ready to take the country from Cambridge and Milton Keynes to the control if needed. That means that the technology can west midlands, up to Scotland and across to the west of be tested in a way that ensures safety and responsibility. England.Wehaveenabledjointpublicandprivateinvestment When highly automated driving technology is ready of £400 million in vehicle innovation since 2014. A vast for public use, we must have a way to check that the vehicles number of potential benefits for the UK could help our are safe and secure by design, not only for passengers, world-leading automotive industry develop in the future, but for all road users. That is why my Department is including safety on our roads—as everybody highlighted— progressing, alongside some of the investments that my reducing congestion and improving productivity through hon. Friend rightly mentioned, a programme of work that more efficient use of road space. There is the potential will adapt our assurance processes for self-driving vehicles. to improve access to transport for everyone, including A number of Members referred to the fact that it is a people with disabilities, as the hon. Lady rightly said. complex landscape of regulation and legislation, and of As we focus on building back better following the manufacturers and Government working together, but I pandemic, the potential economic benefits of self-driving assure everyone listening that as manufacturers bring vehicles in the UK are vast. It is predicted that, by 2035, new self-driving vehicles to the market, they will have 40% of new UK car sales could have self-driving capabilities, been extensively tested by the regulator. with a total self-driving market value of £42 billion and the potential to create 38,000 new highly skilled and Christian Wakeford: We have talked about the well-paid jobs. We have already seen millions of pounds improvement of the economy thanks to driverless vehicles of private investment coming into British small and but, with the introduction of the super deduction and medium-sized enterprises, which are leading the way on freeports, what does the Minister think the impact on automated vehicles. manufacturing will be? On supporting existing jobs, I know how important the automotive industry is to the west midlands and to Rachel Maclean: That is an extremely fair point, and my constituency of Redditch. Just as we support the one that a number of people have raised with me. In UK’s automotive logistics and mobility service companies fact, in my experience and from my discussions with in their transition to zero emissions, we help those manufacturers, industry experts, academics and other sectors to get ahead in the global race to harness researchers, all the indications are that the technology self-driving technology and to ensure that the new jobs and the industry have the potential to create jobs. Of of the future come to the UK, rather than go elsewhere. course, those jobs will change because we will shift The hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North some of them from one particular skillset to another, (Gavin Newlands) mentioned that point, and I hope to but as Members have set out, we see this as a boost to reassure him that that is absolutely the UK Government’s the economy, and that means the creation of new high- objective. In short, I strongly agree with my hon. Friend skilled jobs. This is a massively exciting opportunity to the Member for Milton Keynes North that this technology level up the UK, including my hon. Friend’s Bury South can help to make our journeys safer, greener and more constituency, which I am sure will be eager to take part. reliable. The regulation programme that we have created is To talk a bit about the technology, this futuristic called CAV PASS. It is one of the most comprehensive technology is already here. That is why we recently programmes of its kind in the world. More widely, as announced that the automated lane keeping system—the the hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy) ALKS—could be the first legally defined self-driving mentioned, we have asked the Law Commission to technology to be allowed on the road. 185WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 186WH

Christian Wakeford: I thank the Minister for kindly The hon. Member for Bristol East obviously has giving way a second time. On the ALKS—apologies for great knowledge of this area, and I thank her for her the abbreviations, I think we are all tired of them in this interest and support. She made some very good points, conversation—what assurances will she give that, given and I hope to continue constructive discussions with the motorway improvements we have seen throughout her. She made a good point about the importance of the country over the past few years, such as smart driver education, and we are working closely with the motorways and concrete central barriers, in trying to industry on that. At the point of purchase, drivers and address a problem, we are not creating another one and purchasers need to be fully informed about the vehicles giving more heartache to drivers? and their capabilities. She also mentioned the vital role that such vehicles have to play in our decarbonisation agenda. She is right to say that not all of them will be Rachel Maclean: That is a totally accurate and important green vehicles, but there is huge potential for vehicles to question. We will not allow any self-driving vehicles on share data and travel in a way that has much less impact to the roads unless they comply fully with the regulatory on the planet. regime set out by the UNECE organisation—the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. That includes GavinNewlands:TheMinistermentioneddecarbonisation, being able to recognise and respond to any signs, whether so she will not be surprised to hear me ask this. When may smart motorway signs or any other signs that would we see the transport decarbonisation plan? appear in the domain in which they are legally licensed to operate. To be clear, we will not let anything on the Rachel Maclean: I thank the hon. Member for asking roads that cannot operate safely under any condition that. We intend to publish that plan shortly. that it might find itself in. Kerry McCarthy: We were all led to believe that the The ALKS system is designed to be used in slow-moving plan would be published in the spring. When does the motorway traffic, such as a traffic jam. When the traffic Minister think spring officially ends? speeds up, the vehicle will require the driver to take control again. Crucially, that is a step beyond what is Rachel Maclean: That is one of those questions that I already available, because it will allow the driver legally am not qualified to answer, but I assure the hon. Lady to disengage while the autonomous system is driving that we are committed to publishing the plan shortly. the vehicle. We will list models with ALKS technology I hope that I have set out the wide range of Government as automated on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that efforts to make the UK the best place in the world to they are safe and meet the legal requirements. The develop and deploy self-driving vehicles safely. The vehicle is only half of the story, because all of this coming years will prove crucial in securing the many means changes for drivers as well, and they must know benefits of self-driving vehicles for the UK—for our their role. That is why we are consulting on amendments economy, for the environment and for safe and accessible to the highway code to clarify the responsibilities of travel for all citizens. I thank everybody for taking part drivers of automated vehicles. in the debate. Before I conclude, I will refer to the comments that Members have made. I thank everybody for their extremely Dr Rupa Huq (in the Chair): Having led the debate, well-informed contributions and for their interest in the voted twice and motored back from those two votes, debate. They have all displayed encyclopaedic knowledge I call Ben Everitt to respond. of cultural history and vehicles of the past, but I must confess that I am a bit more of a fan of David Hasselhoff 5.54 pm than the cars. He was definitely a teenage heart-throb Ben Everitt: Thank you, Dr Huq. Unfortunately, I of mine. came back under my own steam and not by any self-driving I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bury South car. I thank the Minister for her comments, and I am (Christian Wakeford), who pointed out the benefits of very grateful for the contributions from everybody who reducing congestion. We in the Government absolutely has taken part in the debate. agree that it would be a benefit of the technology. My I think I may have heard something like an invitation hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley highlighted to have a ride in a driverless car in the Minister’s speech some safety concerns. He is right to do so, but I reassure —yes please, I will bite off both of her arms. him that we are a full member of UNECE, the international I will talk very briefly about some of the comments organisation that sets the overarching rules and frameworks, that have been made. It has been an incredibly constructive and we contribute to those. We work closely with the debate. I am grateful to everybody, and to the Chair for organisation, so we are fully aligned with all its safety allowing such a positive atmosphere. requirements, which are stringent and rigorous. My hon. My hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Friend the Member for Dudley North (Marco Longhi) Fletcher) made an interesting suggestion relating to also mentioned safety, and I agree that the perception using machine learning for AI fleets, in relation to of safety is equally important as safety itself. driver engagement, which I think is something that we I reassure the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire should be taking on board. My hon. Friend the Member North that we will absolutely not be listing any vehicles for Bury South (Christian Wakeford), in his typically that cannot respond to the red X signs on smart motorways colourful way, alluded to a robot apocalypse. There is or anywhere else. He is right to highlight the opportunities definitely some public perception around allowing AI that the technology offers the whole of the United to make decisions in relation to cars that conjures up Kingdom, and the investment that we in the Government those images. He then alluded to the battery technology are putting into Scotland and the rest of the country is a that we will need to run these cars and the jobs and the huge benefit of our Union. boost for industry we will get as a result. 187WH Driverless Cars 26 MAY 2021 Driverless Cars 188WH

[Ben Everitt] We have covered all the ground that was not covered before. The debate has shown that, although there are Referencing a future where we debate whether humans ongoing concerns about driverless cars, connected to should be allowed to drive cars is probably the nub of autonomous vehicle technology—I know we are looking this argument. The Opposition spokesperson, the hon. at addressing those—we have a huge opportunity to do Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy), mentioned something quite special. We have already seen this in that caution should be the watchword in this debate, but Milton Keynes, as the Minister referenced. It is an we should be cautiously optimistic and cautiously ambitious exciting field. It has the power to decongest our roads—to in the way we approach this. get people into new jobs, to get people out and about, to My hon. Friend the Member for Dudley North (Marco reduce air pollution, to boost jobs and our economy. I Longhi) mentioned that the UK leads in innovation, thank everybody for their time this afternoon, for indulging but often falls at the final hurdle of implementation. my voting habit, and thank you, Dr Huq, for your This is an opportunity for us to do the whole lifecycle—the chairmanship. thinking, the regulation and the insurance, and to build Question put and agreed to. these units and get them on our roads, in a safe and cautious manner. Resolved, The hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North That this House has considered the potential merits of driverless (Gavin Newlands) gave a very thoughtful and constructive cars. contribution—I am very pleased—especially in highlighting the alphabet spaghetti of acronyms involved in this debate, and specifically the acronyms in the definition 5.58 pm of an acronym. That was wonderful and I thank him. Sitting adjourned. 23WS Written Statements 26 MAY 2021 Written Statements 24WS

We are seeking public opinion on whether the Written Statements Government waiving settlement fees for service personnel is something which is right and appropriate to do, and Wednesday 26 May 2021 also to invite input on the scope of the policy. The public consultation has been published today and will run for six weeks. DEFENCE [HCWS57]

Immigration Fees: Public Consultation DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace) and The Secretary of State for the Home Department Events Research Programme: Contingent Liabilities in (Priti Patel): There is a long and proud tradition of relation to Cancellation Compensation for Event non-UK service personnel serving in the British armed forces. Together with their British and Irish counterparts, they defend the UK at home and abroad. The British The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and armed forces are renowned and respected around the Sport (Oliver Dowden): I am tabling this statement for world and applications from non-UK personnel are the benefit of all Members of this House to bring to always welcome and of a high calibre. The Ministry of their attention the departmental minute issued today Defence is a modern employer and embraces recruiting that provides the House with notice of a series of small talent from all elements of society and the advantages contingent liabilities created by my Department. This is of continuing to have non-UK service personnel serving in relation to a policy to compensate event organisers in the British armed forces and the diversity and skills participating in phase two of the events research programme they bring are hugely valued. in the event of their cancellation if public health concerns were to give rise. Non-UK service personnel are exempt from immigration control during their regular service in the armed forces. The world-leading events research programme ran its Many of these brave men and women who serve our first phase of nine pilots—with some running multiple country may wish to stay in the UK after their service events—in April and May to inform decisions around and use the skills they have gained during their service the safe removal of social distancing at step 4 of the to contribute positively to our society. In order to do so road map. A second phase of events will continue to they must regularise their immigration status, however, build on existing evidence and collect additional data to some are deterred from applying to regularise their inform organisers and consumers on the logistical and immigration status because of the costs of doing so. In practical considerations of reopening events safely. The order to assist those who wish to remain in the UK after pilots cover a range of settings, venues, and activities so their discharge, the Ministry of Defence and the Home that findings will support the full reopening of similar Office have already agreed to extend the period that non- settings across multiple sectors. UK citizens who are members of the British armed forces The Government will provide compensation on a can apply for settlement in the UK from 10 weeks before discretionary basis to event organisers should a pilot their discharge to 18 weeks before their discharge. event be cancelled due to public health reasons. We are also announcing the launch of a public This compensation will be capped at £300,000 per event consultation on a draft policy proposal on the settlement and will cover costs incurred in relation to participation fees which apply to non-UK service personnel on leaving in the programme only—e.g. admission of spectators, the armed forces. The draft policy proposal allows for recognising the fact that these events would have taken the Government to waive settlement fees for non-UK place in line with roadmap restrictions should the service personnel who meet certain criteria should they programme not exist. In the case of the Liverpool apply to remain in the UK at the end of their military events, as these have been put on specifically as part of service. the programme,the Government will compensate organisers Currently, the Home Office charges a fee on each in full should an event be cancelled, but this will be individual who wishes to regularise their immigration capped at £300,000 in total across the Liverpool events. status by applying for indefinite leave to remain in (or The Government do not intend to cancel any event in enter) the UK, more commonly known as settled status the programme, however public safety comes first and or settlement. therefore it is prudent to provide this assurance to the Under the draft policy proposal, the UK Government organisers assisting the Government in reopening the would waive the fee charged by the Home Office when economy. the non-UK service person applies for indefinite leave A copy of the departmental minute will be placed in to remain (or enter), if they have served in the regular the Libraries of both Houses. HM armed forces for at least 12 years and wish to settle [HCWS58] in the UK following their service.

3P Petitions 26 MAY 2021 Petitions 4P

And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented byCatherine Petition West, Official Report, 15 April 2021; Vol. 692, c. 611.] [P002659] Wednesday 26 May 2021 Observations from the Minister for Care (Helen Whately): The Government believe that local authorities are best placed to manage changes in care providers within OBSERVATIONS their local market. Local authorities should have appropriate plans in place to minimise any disruption of services if a provider exits the market. They are in the best position to find a HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE local solution, with the minimum possible disruption, that meets people’s needs and choices. Their priority Residents of Mary Feilding Guild care home will be residents and their families during what can be a The petition of residents of the constituency of Hornsey difficult time. and Wood Green, Those with care and support needs should be reassured that they should not suffer a gap in their care service—even Declares that it is appalling that the new owners of if their care is funded privately. The Care Act 2014 the Mary Feilding Guild have issued eviction notices to places a temporary duty on local authorities to ensure the elderly residents during a pandemic; further that that people continue to receive the care and support this is no way to treat vulnerable older people who have they need, including people who fund their own care, if already been through such a difficult year. a provider exits the market. The petitioners therefore request that the House of The Government understand the care provider is working Commons urge the Government to call on the owners closely with Haringey Council which has been supporting to halt their plans immediately, cancel the eviction notices the provider in finding alternative accommodation for and instead work with residents to save their homes. residents.

ORAL ANSWERS

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Col. No. Col. No. PRIME MINISTER ...... 364 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES—continued Engagements...... 364 Gender-targeted Pricing...... 358 Prison Places for Women ...... 359 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES...... 355 STEAM Subjects: Gender-balanced Conversion Therapies ...... 360 Representation...... 358 Covid-19: Disabled People in the Workplace...... 360 Topical Questions ...... 362 Covid-19: Equal Economic Recovery...... 355 UK’s Presidency of the G7: Gender Equality...... 361 Equality of Opportunity for UK Children...... 359 Voter ID: Equalities Impact Assessments...... 357 WRITTEN STATEMENTS

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Col. No. Col. No. DEFENCE...... 23WS Immigration Fees: Public Consultation ...... 23WS

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT...... 24WS Events Research Programme: Contingent Liabilities in relation to Cancellation Compensation for Event ...... 24WS PETITION

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Col. No. HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ...... 3P Residents of Mary Feilding Guild care home...... 3P No proofs can be supplied. Corrections that Members suggest for the Bound Volume should be clearly marked on a copy of the daily Hansard - not telephoned - and must be received in the Editor’s Room, House of Commons,

not later than Wednesday 2 June 2021

STRICT ADHERENCE TO THIS ARRANGEMENT GREATLY FACILITATES THE PROMPT PUBLICATION OF BOUND VOLUMES

Members may obtain excerpts of their speeches from the Official Report (within one month from the date of publication), by applying to the Editor of the Official Report, House of Commons. Volume 696 Wednesday No. 10 26 May 2021

CONTENTS

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Oral Answers to Questions [Col. 355] [see index inside back page] Minister for Women and Equalities Prime Minister

Environment Bill [Col. 375] As amended, further considered Read the Third time and passed

Petition [Col. 482]

Transit Site: Walsall [Col. 484] Debate on motion for Adjournment

Westminster Hall Business Rates Reduction Services [Col. 121WH] Istanbul Convention: Position of the UK Government [Col. 137WH] Support for Children Entitled to Free School Meals [Col. 144WH] Injectable Vitamin B12 [Col. 164WH] Driverless Cars [Col. 173WH] General Debates

Written Statements [Col. 23WS]

Petition [Col. 3P] Observations

Written Answers to Questions [The written answers can now be found at http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers]